IT is a course where a 5-iron goes 300 yards, a sand wedge travels 192 yards and the second-best player in the world goes home.
The dusty track of Muirfield produced a freakish array of shots and bloopers yesterday afternoon, including Phil Mickelson's four-putt on the 16th.
Meanwhile, Henrik Stenson lashed a 5-iron 300 yards down the 15th. "Just an average 5-iron," he said, to laughter.
The Swede could afford to smile as his second consecutive 70 placed him in a prime position for the trials of the weekend. Similarly, Ian Poulter – he of the crazy golf references – was wry rather than wrathful in the wake of his criticisms of the course.
The Englishman maintained Muirfield was still brutal but managed a grin when describing a sand wedge that landed 192 yards away after a restrained swing on the 15th. "It was a battle," he said of a level-par round that left him four off the lead on one over. Asked if it was fun, he replied: "It's fun in a sick, fun way."
Poulter added: "You have to suck it up. It's the same for everybody and unfortunately you have to grind through it. You don't have another option if you want to win the tournament. You have to press on, keep your head down and go on through it."
Poulter appealed for "sensible pins" to make the course playable for the final two rounds. "It's brutally difficult to get it anywhere near a range where you feel comfortable having a go at a putt," he said.
Rory McIlroy was sent home after a 75 followed his first-round 79. The Northern Irishman's fate was shared by Justin Rose, the US Open champion, and Luke Donald.
A "disappointed" McIlroy said he had "a clear picture of what to work on" after missing the cut at an Open Championship for the first time. His references to being "brain dead" on Thursday were replaced by more reflective musings yesterday.
"I drove the ball pretty well and ended up playing the last 11 holes under par," he said, a comment that was a triumph of positivity as he played the 36 holes in 12 over, hardly the mark of the tyro who has already won two major championships.
He was unsure of the exact cause of his problems in 2013. "It's been a combination of things," McIlroy said. "I think the schedule has not been quite right and the swing has not been quite right."
McIlroy said he was determined to "play his way out of the slump".
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