No. 1 Is Slipping From a Fading Rory McIlroy

Photo Rory McIlroy teeing off on No. 17 at the Deutsche Bank Championship. He shot a 71 and is tied for 64th place. Credit Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images NORTON, Mass. — It was like watching the tennis superstar Roger Federer practice hours before a night match at the United States Open, only every stroke that Rory McIlroy, a friend of Federer’s, took on Sunday morning counted. Several dozen fans made it to the first hole at TPC Boston in time to watch McIlroy, the world No. 1 for at least another 24 hours, begin his third round at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Because of the early hour, the television cameras in the towers on the first few holes were still out cold under their coverlets. On…