Sweden next for Hartlepool golfer Graeme Storm after missing cut at Irish Open

Rory McIlroy on the 9th tee during day two of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Royal County Down

The Hartlepool golfer’s mini-revival ended at the Irish Open yesterday when he suffered another difficult day at Royal County Down.

Storm shot a five-over-par 77 at the Newcastle links to reach the half-way stage on a 14-over-par figure of 156.

After a first-round 79, the 37-year-old needed a Houdini act to beat the cut.

But hopes of matching his heroics at the BMW PGA Championship seven days earlier – when he shot an eight-under-par 64 – evaporated with a nightmare run before and after the turn.

Storm bogeyed the fifth, sixth and seventh to go out to 11 over.

While he did hit back with a birdie three at the 439-yard eighth, it proved only a temporary respite.

He bogeyed the 10th, 11th and 12th and worse was to follow with a double bogey at the par four 446-yard 13th.

Storm steadied the ship with four straight pars and a little pride was restored with a birdie at the 18th but he still ended the day down in 141st.

World number one Rory McIlroy followed his first round 80 with a level par 71 yesterday but was miles over the cut mark on nine over par.

Scoring, again, was not easy on the testing links and there was a six-way lead at the top on just three under par with ex-world no1 Luke Donald one shot adrift.