Rory McIlroy misses cut in England as Adam Scott faces similar outcome at Colonial

With Rory McIlroy on his way home after a two-day outing in England and Adam Scott below the cut line to start his second round in Texas, it’s shaping up to be a disappointing week for defending champions.

For McIlroy, who admitted he was feeling the brunt of a heavy schedule that has him teeing it up in competition five weeks in a row, things went from bad to worse in a nightmare second round at the BMW PGA Championship. He scuffled to an opening 1-under 71 on Thursday, during which he half-heartedly hurled a club in frustration, but his second 18 on Friday was truly humbling for the world No. 1.

A bogey on his final hole on Thursday gave him a 6-over 78 second round score that put him at 5-over after 36 holes and sent McIlroy packing. He ended his failed title defense four strokes south of the projected cut line.

While McIlroy could blame his woeful play at Wentworth on a jam-packed few weeks of golf that will come to a merciful close at next week’s Irish Open, should Scott miss his third cut in eight PGA Tour events this year, he can point to his balky putter and lack of accuracy with other clubs.

Scott, who has vowed to keep his long putter lodged firmly into his sternum until he absolutely has to give up anchoring next year, needed 30 putts in opening his Crowne Plaza Invitational defense with a 2-over 72. He also found only seven of 14 fairways and 11 of 18 greens in regulation on Thursday.

“I certainly haven’t put any numbers on the board and that’s really what it’s down to now,” Scott told reporters on Wednesday, before making three bogeys and a double on Thursday.

“I just got to really grind it out and get the most out of it, whereas I feel this year I’ve really gotten the least out of my game,” said Scott, whose win last year at Colonial seemed to secure his position as the top-ranked player. “I’ve made the worst of it, and that’s not a nice feeling at all. So easily frustrated.”

With just one top-10 in eight PGA Tour starts this season and dropping from the top of the world to No. 11 in the rankings, Scott could certainly consider bagging his broomstick. Yet, despite plummeting from 55th in the world in strokes gained-putting last year to 196th in 2015, the 2013 Masters champion ditched a short trial with a conventional putter earlier this year and won’t make the change until USGA/R&A rules require him to do so on Jan. 1, 2016.

“I’ve changed equipment a little bit,” Scott said, “and that’s taking a little while to straighten itself out and get to a comfortable spot.”

Scott, with an afternoon tee time on Friday, was looking up at Ian Poulter, who was 8-under for the week through 16 holes in his second round. The 34-year-old Aussie faced a similar situation last year, when he carded an opening 71 but came back to fire 68-66-66 and outlasted Jason Dufner in a playoff.