McIlroy seven shots off Open lead but vows aggressive weekend
Rory McIlroy sits seven strokes behind Lucas Herbert at the halfway point of The Open, but the world number two's aggressive driving strategy keeps him in contention for a major title that will test the nerve of less experienced leaders.
Rory McIlroy carded a three-under 67 on Friday to sit at one-under par for The 154th Open, leaving him seven strokes behind clubhouse leader Lucas Herbert at Royal Birkdale. The second-round improvement on his opening 72 ensures the world No 2 will compete over the weekend.
McIlroy's position is notable given the record-low scoring that defined Friday, with Herbert and Sam Burns both posting 62s. Rather than play conservatively to close the gap, McIlroy plans to lean heavily on his primary advantage off the tee.
The six-time major champion has already driven the par-four ninth green in both rounds. He intends to keep the driver in his hands as much as possible to bypass fairway bunkers and capitalise on his distance.
"I think anytime I can get a driver in my hand, I'm going to try to," McIlroy said. "I just feel like with how I'm feeling with the driver, I think it's a big advantage if I can get the ball down there."
This aggressive approach is designed to compensate for ongoing struggles on the greens. After ranking 148th out of 156 players in putting during the first round, McIlroy noted only slight improvements on Friday and admitted he has yet to feel completely comfortable on the putting surfaces.
"I felt like I left a couple out there," McIlroy said. "Then you look at the leaderboard and you see a couple of 62s and you feel like you could have done a bit better."
The dynamics of the leaderboard offer a clear pathway back into contention. Herbert will be playing a major championship weekend from the front for the first time, a factor McIlroy is keen to exploit with a fast start on Saturday.
"There's a couple of guys up there where this will be their first experience of playing in the lead at a major championship on the weekend," McIlroy said. "I think if I can get off to a decent start tomorrow, be four or five under for the tournament, I'll be right in it."
Sky Sports Golf's Paul McGinley noted that while McIlroy's iron play and putting have been subpar, the condensed nature of the leaderboard keeps the veteran relevant. "It's a condensed leaderboard and Herbert will feel pressure up there, so there is a lot to play for," McGinley said. "Rory McIlroy at one under is still in it."
