Rory McIlroy’s bid to storm back into contention at the US PGA Championship got off to an excellent start as he recorded two early birdies in his second round. The 37-year-old Northern Irishman was left frustrated after a disastrous four-over-par 74 in the opening round, which included four consecutive bogeys to finish. Starting his second round eight strokes behind clubhouse leader Alex Smalley, McIlroy’s primary objective was to secure a place in the weekend by making the cut, which stood at three-over par.
Strong Start at Aronimink
McIlroy found trouble off the tee at the first hole, landing in the rough, but he recovered impressively to save par. He then seized momentum with birdies at the second and fourth holes, beginning his ascent up the leaderboard. Low scoring has proven challenging at Aronimink Golf Club, which has pushed back against predictions that it would not test the world’s elite golfers.
Mixed Fortunes for Contenders
McIlroy’s Ryder Cup teammates Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood struggled, posting rounds of 76 and 75, respectively, in the morning session. World number one Scottie Scheffler described the pin positions as the “hardest I’ve seen on tour” after battling to a one-over 71, keeping him within two strokes of the lead. However, McIlroy may have been encouraged by Chris Gotterup’s round of 65, demonstrating that low scores are attainable.
McIlroy, aiming to secure back-to-back major victories after successfully defending his Masters title last month, was once again grouped with multiple major champions Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth. South African Aldrich Potgieter, who shared the first-round lead in a seven-way tie, moved clear at the top on five under par.
England’s Justin Rose earlier endured a difficult round, shooting three over, but gave himself a chance to make the weekend with a stunning chip-in from the rough for an eagle at his final hole.
