Three late birdies helped Rory McIlroy to rescue what had been a rocky path on day two of the Honda Classic.
The World No. 2 had fallen down the leaderboard with some errant driving in the $US 5.7m event and managing just one birdie in 12 holes on the Champions course at Palm Beach Gardens.
McIlroy then bogeyed the par four 13th when he found a greenside bunker before moving back into a share of sixth place courtesy of back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th holes to move to six under par.
At the 14th, McIlroy drilled his 179-yard second shot to just over two feet from the flag and holed the putt while at the next, the 179-yard par three 15th his tee shot over water landed some 15 feet to the left of the flag from where he holed the birdie putt.
McIlroy then pared 16 and 17 to move into a share of third place ahead moving to third on his own when by finishing his round with a 67 for a seven under par tally after two putting the 18th hole from 63 feet for birdie.
“I felt like I played another really solid round,” he said.
“I had a couple of chances on the front nine and didn’t take them, but I was just trying to stay as patient as possible.
“The bogey on the 13th when I had only a wedge in my hand (he hit it into a plugged lie in a bunker) was frustrating, but the finish was nice.”
Rory McIlroy will need another bowl of his mother's homemade chilli after a poor driving display on day two of the Honda Classic.
But while McIlroy enjoyed a bowl of his mother’s chilli ahead of the event his efforts with the driver of day two didn’t prove as tasteful with McIlroy ending with a 57% display in hitting the Florida fairways with the driver.
However his 67 has kept alive his hope of winning the event and with it the added prize of the World No. 1 title.
American Tom Gillis was out in the morning half of the draw and carded a 64 to take the clubhouse lead on eight under par.
England’s Justin Rose holed a 14-foot birdie putt at the last for a second straight 66 to then join Gillis atop of the Florida leader board.
