Rory McIlroy stays in prime place to problem for a second Amgen Irish Open title after staying inside two strokes of the midway lead on dwelling soil.
The world No 3 adopted an opening-round 68 with a one-under 70 on Friday morning at Royal County Down, carding an eagle, a birdie and two bogeys to move into the weekend on 4 underneath.
McIlroy – the 2016 champion – started on the again 9 and did not take full benefit of surprisingly benign circumstances, bogeying the par-three 14th for the second day operating earlier than rolling in from 27 toes to birdie the par-four subsequent.
The spotlight of McIlroy’s spherical was an eight iron to fifteen toes to arrange an eagle on the par-five first, his tenth gap of the day, however a dropped shot on the par-four fifth and 4 pars to complete his spherical depart him tied-fourth and two behind Matteo Manassero.
“I would have liked to have taken advantage of the easier conditions this morning,” McIlroy admitted. “These first 9 holes, you are not going to see RCD [Royal County Down] enjoying any simpler.
“Then when the sun went it got a little colder and the wind started to come out of a different direction. But it was just a matter of making sure I was here for the weekend and give myself a chance. Sort of job done for the first two days and turn my attention to the weekend.”
Manassero topped the leaderboard by eagling two of the par-fives in his third-round 66, giving the Italian a one-shot benefit over in a single day chief Todd Clements and fellow Englishman Laurie Canter.
Matteo Manassero is chasing a sixth DP World Tour title and second of the season
Alejandro Del Rey joins McIlroy two strokes again, regardless of racking up a quadruple-bogey on the par-four fifteenth, with Shane Lowry again inside 5 photographs of the lead and hopeful of difficult McIlroy for victory after a second-round 69.
“I know I can go and give it a run,” mentioned Lowry, who received the title in 2009 whereas nonetheless an novice. “I feel it [a Sunday showdown with McIlroy] is what the match desires and desires.
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“Obviously myself, and Rory is up there. It would be great if the two of us could give it a run on Sunday. You never know. It would be nice to go toe-to-toe on Sunday. We’ll see.
“It is as much as me to get myself there. I am fairly positive he’ll get there anyway.”
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