2017 U.S. Open leaderboard: Rory McIlroy hacks his way out of Erin Hills after scoffing at those complaining about the rough

Rory McIlroy, getting ready to bundle up his satchels and head home after two ugly days at Erin Hills, may want a mulligan on his pre-tourney taunts regarding those whining about the tough rough at the U.S. Open.

What appeared to be an attempt to psyche out Kevin Na and others complaining that the abundant, knee-high grass was unfair backfired in spectacular fashion on McIlroy. The four-time major champion spent much of his first and second rounds hacking his way around the Wisconsin track on his way to an early exit at 5-over (78-71) after challenging the bellyachers to man up.

“We have 60 yards [of fairway] from left line to right line,” McIlroy told reporters earlier in the week. “You’ve got 156 of the best players in the world here. If we can’t hit it within that avenue, you might as well pack your bags and go home.”

So homeward-bound it is for McIlroy, who found just five of 14 fairways in Thursday’s first round — the fewest among all the competitors— but at least reported himself unhampered by that rib injury that’s been bothering him this season. After making just six competitive starts this season, another story was his rust — the factor that 2014 European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley predicted would be McIlroy’s undoing.

“It [his rib] was all totally fine,” he said after Thursday’s hack-a-thon. “I was hacking it around in the rough and didn’t feel it one bit. Bit of rust; timing was a little off.”

With the projected cut line at 1-over as 18-hole leader Rickie Fowler (7-under) prepared to tee off in Friday’s afternoon wave, McIlroy was just one of the big names heading for their private jets before the weekend.

Jason Day, wearing the same Nike polo shirt as McIlroy, suffered the same fate as his blouse-buddy and two-round playing partner (along with Justin Rose, another potential trunk-slammer at 2-over). The 2015 PGA champion followed his truly horrid 79 on Thursday with a 75 for a combined 10-over for two days of work and his first-ever MC in a U.S. Open.

“We saw some carnage yesterday; the best players in the world were hitting it in the wispy stuff,” Fox Sports analyst Paul Azinger noted as both players were putting the finishing touches on their 2017 U.S. Opens. “That fescue … I’ve never seen rough that deep in my life.”

(Azinger, by the way, was likely not surprised by McIlroy’s poor showing. The 1993 PGA champion said on Wednesday that the formerly “pudgy” lad from Northern Ireland turned gym rat ruined his golf fitness by pumping too much iron.)

Another former major winner, Bubba Watson, bettered his opening-round 75 by two strokes on Friday, but it was not enough to extend his stay in Cheesehead territory as his 4-over earned him the weekend off. Defending champion, Dustin Johnson, had a late afternoon tee time so he had a chance to play himself up from his 3-over and onto the Saturday tee sheet.

If DJ also fails to get to the third round, he, McIlroy (No. 2), and Day (third-ranked) will become footnotes to history.

As for those competitors Rory claimed had no chance this week, it was a mixed bag.

Wesley Bryan, who was the first to share his observations about the ball-eating fescue at Erin Hills, finished DFL at 15-over.

Lee Westwood saw the humor in missing the fairway and, with a Friday afternoon tee time, was 3-under heading into his second day.

As for Na, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times, as he followed his stellar 68 start with a hideous 78. But unless the cut line changes, the poster boy for fescue frowny faces will be around for two more days of rough riding.

Here’s your leaderboard with the morning wave now vacating the course and making way for the afternoon headliners: