US Open Golf 2022: Rory McIlroy fights hard to remain in the hunt as Collin Morikawa surges up the leaderboard

Rory McIlroy kept his US Open challenge on track on day two, as Collin Morikawa surged to the top of the leaderboard at the Country Club in Brookline. McIlroy was comfortably the best player on day one, with a bogey on 18 being the only blemish on his card. Ad/> He was well placed heading into the second round, but did not have his best game and once again his putting was an important factor in him posting a red number on Friday.

U.S. OpenMickelson's wild play sees him miss US Open cut and apologise after spectator hit with ball4 HOURS AGO McIlroy saw a birdie attempt come up short on the first, before a huge error cost him two shots on the third. Taking an iron off the tee left him a long way back, and he leaked his approach to the right and into the fescue.

He took three shots to get the ball on the green, meaning he was staring at a triple-bogey. But he found a brilliant putt to limit the damage to two shots, and walked off the green with a semblance of a smile despite signing for a six. McIlroy steadied the ship before taking advantage of his power to make short work of the par five eighth and make a comfortable birdie.

He gave a shot back on 10 after a poor tee shot, but a brilliant birdie putt on 12 got that back — and he gobbled up the second of the par fives — the 14th — to get himself back to level par for the day. /> The work McIlroy has done with putting guru Brad Faxon is paying dividends, and he confidently drained a 12-footer on 17 to get under par for the day, and a solid par on 18 resulted in a 69 to leave him one off the lead at four-under. At 25, Morikawa has earned a reputation as a big-tournament player and he produced some of the best golf on day two to propel himself to the top of the leaderboard.