Rory McIlroy may need to find his A-game today if he’s to go into Sunday with a chance to retain his Genesis Scottish Open title at The Renaissance Club.
The world number two confessed he was not quite at his best as he added a four-under 66 to his opening 65 to go into the weekend tied for fifth, three shots behind Ryder Cup teammate Ludvig Aberg on nine-under-par.
He made four birdies in his first ten holes to close the gap on the Swede, who shot a second successive 64 to set the pace on 12-under.
But after following a bogey at the 11th with a birdie at the 13th, the Holywood star missed a four-footer for a birdie at the 16th and a nine-footer at the 17th to end the day tied for fifth with Alex Noren, Alejandro del Rey, Rasmus Hojgaard, Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala.
“Similar to yesterday, I felt like I left a few out there,” McIlroy said. “Today, I wasn’t totally on with my swing, so I had to manage my misses a little bit.
“I thought it did a good job of hanging in there, even though I didn’t feel at my best, especially over those last few holes.”
Aberg leads by a shot from France’s Antoine Rozner and by two from Matteo Manassero and Sungjae Im on 12-under and while McIlroy has not been at his best, he feels he’s right where he wants to be.
“Hopefully I can put it all together over the weekend and not leave those shots out there that I’ve done the last couple days,” he said, admitting he may need a 62 or 63 to keep pace with the leaders.
“It’s another weekend where I’m right in the mix of a golf tournament, and that’s a nice position to be in after the last three weeks that I’ve had.”
Seamus Power bogeyed two of his last three holes en route to a three-under 67 that left him tied 47th on four-under but with work to do to win one of three spots in The Open next week.
Tom McKibbin missed just his second cut this season, carding a brace of 69s to miss out by a shot on two-under and now turns his attention to Royal Troon along with Pádraig Harrington, whose 71 left him on one over.
In the weather-delayed Amundi Evian Championship, Leona Maguire was in danger of missing the cut after she carded a second successive one-over 71 to share 78th place on two-over.
She was two shots outside the top 65 and ties when play was suspended for the day due to thunder and lightning with Stephanie Meadow six over through eight holes and nine over for the championship.
Korea’s Mi-Hyang Lee was the clubhouse leader on seven-under after a 66 but Japan’s Ayaka Furue was set to resume her second round on 12-under after playing 13 holes in six-under.
In amateur golf, Ireland’s wait for a third victory in the European Ladies’ Amateur Team Championship goes on after they lost 4.5-2.5 to Germany in the semi-finals in Madrid.
Without a win in the event since their second victory in 1983, Ireland now face England for the bronze medal as the Germans take on France for the title.
In the men’s event at Royal Park I Roveri in Italy, Ireland beat Austria 4-1 in Flight B but must now defeat Scotland to secure 13th place and avoid relegation to Division 2 next year alongside the Austrians and Wales.
