BMW Masters

Wind halts McIlroy progress in Shanghai

ESPN staff

October 25, 2013

Windy conditions at Lake Malaren golf club hindered Rory McIlroy's second round progress © Getty Images

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Rory McIlroy could not capitalise on a solid start to his second round of the BMW Masters as he finished with an even-par second round of 72 to remain one-under for the tournament and seven shots off Luke Guthrie's lead.

With the wind affecting conditions around the Lake Malaren golf club in Shanghai, McIlroy was two shots to the good through his first seven holes following birdies at the third and the seventh.

However, a bogey five at the par-4 eighth brought him back to one-under for the day before another dropped shot cost him momentum at the 14th.

His second birdie of the week at the par-5 15th looked to have set McIlroy up for a sturdy finish, but a dropped shot at the final hole meant the Ulsterman remains one-under ahead of the weekend action.

The conditions proved equally as tricky for leader Guthrie as he could not equal his impressive first round, but finished with a one-under 71 to stretch his lead a little further over the field. Like McIlroy, the American looked set to finish well with two birdies in his last four holes but was marred with a bogey at the last, leaving him eight-under overall.

Race to Dubai leader Henrik Stenson shot a two-over 74 to slide to two-over after his two rounds, while Graeme McDowell - second in the standings behind Stenson - also carded a 74 to move back to even-par overall.

Ian Poulter enjoyed a three-under second round of 69 to move up the leaderboard to one-under and is joined by fellow Brit Lee Westwood, who carded 71 on his second visit.

British quartet Scott Jamieson, Paul Casey, Simon Dyson and Craig Lee are all in contention at four-under following rounds of 68, 70, 70 and 70 respectively. Lee enjoyed a moment of magic on the 16th when he holed his 188-yard approach shot for eagle.

They are joined by Ricardo Gonzalez and Thongchai Jaidee at four-under, four shots off Guthrie's lead.

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