Rory McIlroy back to earth as he misses Sawgrass cut

McIlroy won last week's Quail Hollow Championship

Rory McIlroy came back to earth by missing the cut at the Players Championship at Sawgrass as he finished on one over after a second-round 72.

McIlroy improved to one under as he went to the turn in 34 but any momentum was halted by a double bogey on 10.

Graeme McDowell moved into contention on seven under as he fired a 65 which left him five behind Lee Westwood.

Padraig Harrington was joined McIlroy in exiting on one over after matching his rounds of 73 and 72.

The Irish duo missed the cut by three shots.

McIlroy clinched his first PGA Tour victory in sensational fashion last Sunday as he won the Quail Hollow Championship by firing weekend rounds of 66 and 62.

However, the 21-year-old did not appear overly enamoured with the Sawgrass layout after his round.

"You can't see fairways when you are on the tee and I find it hard to line up," said McIlroy.

The event is held on the same course each year and when reminded he had better get used to it now he is in the world's top 10, McIlroy replied: "If it wasn't a nine-and-a-half million dollar event I might not have to."

His double bogey six on the 10th came after he moved his ball only a few feet from an awkward place in the bunker.

McDowell carded eight birdies and a solitary bogey in his superb 65.

Westwood also fired a 65 to finish the day on 12 under.

The Masters runner-up was a shot ahead of Japan's Ryuji Imada (66), American Heath Slocum (66) and Italy's Francesco Molinari (65).