Irish Open suffer cruel cut as McIlroy, McDowell, Clarke or Harrington all miss out

By DEREK LAWRENSON FOR MAILONLINE

Published: 17:33 EDT, 28 June 2013 | Updated: 17:33 EDT, 28 June 2013

This weekend there will be no Rory McIlroy at the Irish Open and no Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke or Padraig Harrington either. All the joyous talk in the build-up had been about this being a Gathering. Sadly, without the presence of all four major champions from North and South – not to mention Ireland's first Ryder Cup captain, Paul McGinley - the final two days at Carton House might feel more like a wake.     

Perhaps McGinley's predecessor as skipper, who lies just two strokes off the lead held by England's Robert Rock and American Peter Uihlein and in contention for a truly remarkable win at the age of 47, will find his name changed for the weekend to Jose Maria O'Lazabal. 

Driven round the bend: Rory McIlroy can't hide his frustration during the second round

McIlroy had spoken about feeling suffocated by expectation but it is the organisers who might now be feeling that someone is holding a pillow over their faces.    

Around 50,000 euros was spent building grandstands all around the par three 17th to turn it into a wonderful amphitheatre. But will a party atmosphere still exist without so many of the local heroes?    

This was McIlroy's last event before the Open at Muirfield in just over a fortnight's time and he admitted in an ideal world he would be playing in the French Open next week, or the final event before the season's third major, the Scottish Open. A couple of contractual commitments have put paid to that, plus a long-time promise to attend his cousin's wedding.   

At least he sounded a lot more positive than his downbeat assessment of his opening round. McIlroy shot a second round 72 to miss out by two, with McDowell and Harrington one adrift. Irish hopes now rest with Shane Lowry, playing on his hometown course and two off the lead.    

What the organisers have lost with McIlroy's departure was evident on the first hole, which was lined several people deep well in advance of his arrival. What was noticeable was that it wasn't just the usual golfing audience of forty or fiftysomething males, with plenty of families in attendance.  

McIlroy began like a man intent on giving them something to cheer. The first hole was into a stiff wind but a perfect drive was followed by a lovely iron approach to 4ft and he knocked in the birdie putt. At the second his drive flew at least 350 yards but the inexplicable error that followed, as he missed the green just 50 yards away with a lob wedge, was an adequate commentary on a man who just can't string everything together at present.   

Crowd favourites: But McIlroy (above) and Graeme McDowell (below) missed the cut

He admitted afterwards he was as disappointed for the event as he was for himself, a sentiment he shared with McDowell and Harrington. 'I desperately wanted to be around for the weekend,' said McDowell, who continued a bizarre recent run that has seen him win twice and miss five halfway cuts in his last seven events.   

G-Mac was unlucky to miss out this time, for level par seemed a remarkably low halfway cut mark given the blustery, showery conditions that prevailed over the first two days.  The standard among the rank on file on tour continues to get stronger every year.   

At the sharp end of the leaderboard, no camper was happier than the Spaniard Olazabal. Plagued throughout his career with rheumatic injuries, he is currently swinging the club as well as he has for over a decade and, after Lowry, will carry much of the home support.   

Always an unswerving supporter of this event, the two-time Masters champion said: 'I've never given up hope of winning again and I would dearly like to win this tournament that has long been among my favourites.'  

Joint leader: England's Robert Rock

What price a repeat of the final round of the 2009 Irish Open, when Rock and Lowry fought a duel that was won by the latter, then an amateur? Rock remembers it as being a tougher experience than the highlight of his career to date, when he beat Tiger Woods down the stretch to win the Abu Dhabi Championship last year. 'At least in Abu Dhabi I did feel I had one or two people on my side,' he said. 'Against Shane, I don't even think there was one.'   

Rock's successor as Abu Dhabi champion was his best friend on tour, Jamie Donaldson, who won the title in January. Now Rock has the chance to follow in Donaldson's footsteps, for the Welshman is the defending champion this week. 'Nothing would give me greater pleasure,' he said, with a huge grin on his face.

Uihlein has impressed everyone with the way he has adapted to life in Europe, coming through from the Challenge Tour to progress to the main circuit. The son of Titleist boss Wally, at the age of 23 he's already played tournament golf in over 20 countries and is loving the adventure. He's got a nice sense of humour, too.   

When he's back home, what's the question he gets asked most about life in Europe? 'What are the women like?' he replied.