Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell miss cut in Texas

Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell saw their tournaments come to a premature end after missing the cut at the Valero Texas Open.

McIlroy had been looking to fine-tune preparations before next week's Masters, but a bogey at the second hole saw him fall to one over par with his front nine also containing eight pars.

Another bogey followed at 12 before a birdie at 17 gave him a chance of potentially reaching the cut if he could produce something special at the par-five 18th.

However, his tee shot drifted well left forcing him to drop out, and although he did well to salvage a par to finish on one over par, he was still a couple of shots outside the projected cut line on one under.

McDowell, who started on the 10th tee, bogeyed his second hole but got the shot back at the 14th to leave him on even par heading onto the front nine.

FULL LEADERBOARD

He started that with a bogey before a double bogey at the fourth sent him tumbling down the leaderboard.

The Portrush man birdied the eighth but a closing bogey saw him end the tournament on three over.

American Ryan Palmer led the way late last night with a few players still to finish their second round.

After a solid 68 on Thursday, Palmer was in fine form on Friday as he hit six birdies on his way to a 66 and a 10-under-par score.

American duo Kevin Chappell and Matt Kuchar and South African Dylan Frittelli are two shots further back.