McIlroy five back as Harman leads British Open
PORTRUSH, United Kingdom: Rory McIlroy continued to battle driving woes during a topsy-turvy front nine of his second round at the British Open on Friday, as 2023 champion Brian Harman moved into the lead at Royal Portrush. Home favorite McIlroy was level par at the turn and one-under for the tournament, five strokes behind Harman, as he continues his bid for a second Claret Jug. World number one Scottie Scheffler, one shot off the overnight lead of four-under, is among the later starters and could face rainy conditions in the afternoon. Harman, who won by six shots at Hoylake two years ago, started with consecutive birdies before another on the par-five seventh hole took him into the outright lead. The American reached six-under for the tournament through his first 11 holes, one shot clear of Tyrrell Hatton, Danish youngster Rasmus Hojgaard and Harris English. McIlroy delighted the crowds surrounding the opening hole with a birdie to immediately move to two-under after his first-round 70. The world number two, who only found two of 14 fairways on Thursday, leaked a drive on the second well right but still saved par despite having to take a penalty drop. His roller-coaster tournament continued with bogeys on the third and fifth holes sandwiching another birdie on four, as his errant driving prevented him from taking advantage of excellent scoring conditions. Justin Rose, who lost to McIlroy in a play-off at the Masters in April, made his first bogey of the tournament on the sixth hole but was three-under overall after his front nine. McIlroy’s playing partner Tommy Fleetwood bounced back from an opening 73 with three straight birdies to start his second round, moving to two-under for the tournament through nine. Robert MacIntyre,
