• Open Championship, Round Two

McIlroy delighted with position

ESPN staff
July 15, 2011
Rory McIlroy played with real authority on Friday © PA Photos
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Rory McIlroy kept his Open Championship hopes on track with a one-under 69 and the Ulsterman is delighted with his position heading into the weekend.

The US Open champion looked a little rusty on Thursday in what was his first competitive round since his win at Congressional. He came out on Friday looking far sharper, shooting at pins with great regularity.

His putter was a little cold, which was the reason why he did not go any lower than 69, but he is just four shots adrift of the lead held by Darren Clarke and Lucas Glover.

"I am delighted, it is a great position to be in just four back going into the weekend," McIlroy said. "That par save at the last was big for me. It feels as if I am in a really good position going into the weekend."

McIlroy did hole a 15-footer for par on the last, having been plugged in a greenside bunker, and it was a putt that delighted him.

He said: "Wandering up to the bunker I was saying 'please don't be plugged, please don't be plugged'. But the sand here is so soft, it was very likely it was going to be a bad lie, but it was nice to get it out to 15 feet and even better to see the putt go in.

"The wind got up and the course is playing firm and fast and it is hard to hold the fairways and get near to the pins. Anything under-par today was a good score."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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