Rory McIlroy frustrated with the second round at the Travelers Championship
RORY MCILROY was heading straight to the practice range after posting a patience-testing 69 on day two of the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut.
McIlroy managed just two birdies and after battling for the better part of his round he dropped a shot near the end to be headed to the clubhouse sharing fourth place at seven-under on the TPC River Highlands course.
However at day's end McIlroy slipped to a share of eighth place and three shots behind American Brian Harman (64 & 66) who heads the field by a shot at 10-under par.
Three players - the Americans Zach Johnson (68) and Russell Hendly (65) and Aussie Matt Jones (66) - share second place on nine-under par/
Cheltenhan-born and now Phoexix-based Paul Casey birdied three holes in a row near the end of his round of 65 to be sharing fourth place on eight-under.
A pink-shirted McIlroy had a number of opportunities over his outward half only to be seeing red in sandwiching a sixth hole birdie in between eight pars.
The World No. 7 moved to eight-under with a birdie at his 11th and then after a run of four pars, including a great eight-foot save on 15, he then three-whacked his 16th.
Then at the last McIlroy leaned over in disbelief and grabbing the back of his ankles when his nine-foot birdie lipped-out.
“I was patient out there today and could have easily got frustrated given I was not playing quite as well as I did yesterday,” he said.
“So, I stayed patient with it as mentally I felt pretty good and you need to do that when you don’t have your best stuff.
“I just need to now go and do a bit of work on the range and I feel as though I should be ready for the weekend.
“With what I am working on with my swing, I am just not 100% comfortable as I am thinking a lot about what I am doing.
“It will probably be a few weeks to where I want it to be but it’s good there is good signs in there and I will keep working on it.”
And there was Scotland's and former champ Russell Knox celebrating a belated birthday with a blistering 64.
Knox failed to blow-out any birdie candles in turning 33 on Thursday and signing for a shock three-over 73.
But the 2016 Travelers winner lit-up the TPC River Highlands course on day two of the $US 7m event with seven birdies and jump over 100 places and head to the clubhouse sharing 30th place on three-under par.
“I had no birthday birdies yesterday and I just don't know as I played one terrible hole on the par-5, and then the drivable hole there 15, hit it in the water," he said.
“But today was good. I had a good feeling about today, if I just kept playing the same way I have been, I'd make some birdies, and I did.
“It was a perfect day. There was a little breeze to keep you honest, but this course is always easier in the morning.
“I struck the ball nice, and of course I holed some putts too, which I holed a couple of big par putts there just after making the turn that kept things going and made a couple nice birdies.
“So, I'm happy with that.”