default-cbs-image

Rory McIlroy stumbled to a 3-over 73 on Friday to finish at even par after 36 holes at the Travelers Championship. He just sneaked inside the cut line even after some truly outrageous drives.

The biggest of these came at the par-4 4th hole where McIllroy pumped one a silly 393 yards, which was a good 40 yards clear of everyone else in the field. He went on to make par from there, which was a microcosm of his day. Solid drives and no scoring to back it up.

McIlroy is No. 4 in the field in strokes gained driving this week (and you can see why!), but he is outside the top 100 in strokes gained on approach shots and with his putter. 

McIlroy has actually been pretty magnificent with both his driver and his irons so far this season when he's played. He doesn't have enough rounds to qualify for statistical purposes, but if he did, McIlroy would rank No. 2 in strokes gained off the tee and No. 3 in strokes gained on approach shots.

He has played just twice (The Players Championship and U.S. Open) since the Masters in April and has been nursing a rib/back injury all season that has actually kept him from lifting weights this year.

"I haven't lifted a weight all year, and it's tough for me to come out and sort of say I don't," McIlroy said. "The most I've lifted in the gym is 15 pounds this year because of my injury. I'm nowhere near as strong as I used to be. I'm not. But I don't need to be. I feel like physically if I'm stable and I'm strong in the right areas, I'm okay. So at least I can't be criticized for that this year."

Seems fair to say it's not really inhibiting his distance off the tee.