Rory struggles as Casey finds form

RORY MCILROY was brought crashing back to earth on the second day of the Memorial Tournament as he carded a six-over-par 78 to tumble down the leaderboard.

Most of the damage was done on a disastrous opening nine where three consecutive double bogeys saw him go out in 43 at Muirfield Village.

Starting on the back nine, McIlroy bogeyed his opening hole, the par-four 10th, before parring 11 and picking the shot back up on 12.

Double bogeys followed on 13, 14 and 15 before two pars and a bogey saw him reach the turn four shots off the lead.

That represented a 12-shot collapse on the back nine from Thursday where he had picked up two eagles, three birdies and a double bogey to record a 31.

McIlroy did manage to turn things round a bit on the back nine though, picking up birdies on the second and seventh while only dropping the one shot in between as he ended the day on three under par overall.

However, McIlroy found himself nine shots behind Paul Casey after the resurgent Englishman roared clear at the summit.

Casey shot a 66 on Thursday to sit in the three-man group behind McIlroy alongside Bubba Watson and Chris Kirk.

And the 36-year-old went on to shoot another superb 66 on the second day, holding a three-shot lead on 12-under from Bubba Watson.

Dane Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 to lie in a share of fifth on six-under.

Picture: Getty. McIlroy reacts after a bogey on the 18th.