IRVINE, Scotland — It started with a shout of “FORE LEFT!” and ended with a putt from about 7 feet that didn’t come close to finding the cup.

Rory McIlroy is making an earlier-than-planned journey south to Royal Birkdale for next week’s British Open after missing the cut by two strokes at the Scottish Open following a 1-under 71 in his second round on Friday. He was 10 shots off the lead after two days that exposed the current frailties in his wedge play and putting.

It was the world No. 4’s third missed cut in his last four events — he also failed to make the weekend at the U.S. Open and last week’s Irish Open — and the latest low point in an injury-affected 2017 for the four-time major winner.

“I’m just waiting for something,” McIlroy said. “Waiting for something, some sort of spark. Just something to go right, and the last couple of weeks haven’t been like that. Just got to keep plugging away and hopefully it turns around next week.

“I would have loved to have played more rounds going into not just the Open but the rest of the year. But I’m sort of trying to learn as I go along.”

With little wind protecting Dundonald Links, McIlroy encountered benign conditions in his bid to make up for an opening-round 74 in the British Open warmup but still came up short.

Padraig Harrington (68), Callum Shinkwin (68) and Alexander Knappe (65) shared the lead, with Ian Poulter and Andrew Dodt a shot back after 69s. Rickie Fowler, playing in McIlroy’s group, shot 70 and was two strokes off the lead.

Other players to miss the cut, which was at 1 under, were defending champion Alex Noren, Americans Patrick Reed and Jason Dufner, and former No. 1 Martin Kaymer.