Rory McIlroy sits in a tie for third place after after shooting a superb 66 on day two of the Amgen Irish Open.
It means the world No 2 sits seven-under par at The K Club, and poised to challenge heading into the weekend.
After bogeying two of his last three holes in the opening round, McIlroy went bogey-free on Friday to keep himself within touching distance of the leading pair.
Joakim Lagergen of Sweden heads the field on 12-under par, one shot ahead of France’s Adrien Saddier.
“Obviously, the two boys are a little bit ahead of the rest of the pack, but I feel like I’m close enough, if I do have a good weekend, to chase them down,” said the Northern Irishman, who played to the biggest crowds of the day once again.
“The whole day, even just walking to the range for the warmup today, the support is absolutely incredible. I’m looking forward to playing in that atmosphere for the next couple days as well.”
It could have been even better for McIlroy, as he almost holed out emphatically on the last hole for an albatross – before settling for a birdie to round off a superb second round. His approach to the par-five 18th pitched two feet short of the hole before spinning back to leave an eight-foot eagle putt which he missed.
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“I couldn’t believe [it]. I was hitting a three-quarter 8-iron,” he said. “I couldn’t believe how much it came back. Yeah, it looked like it nearly flew into the hole.
“It was nice to make some good iron swings on the way in: The two par-3s, even the 9-iron into 17, that 8-iron into the last. So pleased with that.
“The reason is because I’m hitting it on the fairway, which I probably haven’t been doing as much over the last couple of months. If I keep doing that, give myself chances, hopefully it will be a good weekend.”
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Rory McIlroy acknowledges the crowd on the 18th green (PA Images)
Lagergren produced a stunning 10-under-par 62 with nine birdies, an eagle at the 18th and just one bogey on his penultimate hole, the eighth.
The Swede holds the course record on the K Club’s South Course, a 63 at last year’s Irish Challenge, and while this effort on the North Course did not emulate that feat – Darren Clarke shot a 60 in the 1999 European Open – Lagergren said: “Ireland is treating me well.”
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Shane Lowry is eight shots behind heading into the weekend at the Irish Open (PA images)
McIlroy was joined in third by first-round co-leader Thorbjorn Olesen, New Zealander Daniel Hillier and Spain’s Alfredo Garcia-Heredia.
England’s Tyrrell Hatton was in a large group a shot further back on six under, with Ireland’s Shane Lowry four under after also narrowly missing out on a closing eagle.
Who will win the Amgen Irish Open? Watch throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Saturday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf. Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW.
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