Rory McIlroy brilliantly muscled his way to just a shot from the summit after an Omega European Masters matching best of 63 on day two of the Swiss event.

McIlroy was very much in a class of his own and bringing a record Crans-sur-Sierre crowd to their feet in moving to 11-under and just a shot off the lead.

Malaysia’s Gavin Green, a former Asian Tour No. 1 and of Portuguese, Irish and Chinese descent, heads the field in signing a 64 to lead by a shot.

McIlroy is among five players at 10-under including Argentinean Anders Romero who went with a shot of the course record in signing for a 71.

What a round, @McIlroyRory 👏#OEM2019 pic.twitter.com/PGRs8K28hj

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 30, 2019

The World No. 2 ranked McIlroy was two-under for his round and five-under for the co-sanctioned event heading to the par-4, 14^th.

McIlroy then took to the upslopes of the Alpine course thanks to a brilliant four-hole stretch when he birdied the 14^th, holed a curling 15-foot putt for eagle on the par-5 15th before draining a four-footer for birdie at the par-4 16^th ahead of also birding the par-4 17^th.

McIlroy had posted a 63 on day one of the 2008 European Masters, and the event he would lose in a play-off, while his score was just two shots shy of a 61 he shot last July on route to his RBC Canadian Open success.

“Funny it didn’t feel like a round of an eagle and eight birdies,” McIlroy said smiling.

“I did hit the ball a little better than yesterday and while there was still a couple of mistakes, like the bogey on the par-5 ninth, but then the finish was obviously pretty good.

“I hit some really nice shots coming in with the eagle on 15 was lovely while the iron shots I hit coming down the stretch on 16 and 17 were nice.

“Like going out this afternoon as I did eight shots being the lead, you know there is a low score out there but at the same time you do not want to push too hard.

“So, to get myself closer to the lead going into the weekend is very nice.”

McIlroy won three-times on the recently concluded 2018/19 PGA Tour season but has not tasted success on the regular European Tour in over three years since capturing the 2016 Irish Open at the K. Club.

He’s now chasing what would be a 14^th European Tour title and the 27^th victory of his pro career, and now after the Swiss heart-break of 2008 when he horribly let slip a first European Tour title McIlroy is clearly the player to beat with two rounds to play.

And this is even more-so after his $US 16.7 victory pay-out last Sunday in Atlanta.

“It is very easy for me to be patient this week after what just happened last week, so even if I do make a bogey, I’m not …. I’m having a good time here and enjoying myself,” he said.

“The thing is also I have learned to enjoy strategic golf courses including East Lake last week where you do hit a few more drivers than up here in Switzerland.

“I’ve won around East Lake twice, I won on another par-70 course this year and that was the Canadian Open while Sawgrass is also a bit of a strategic golf course, so I am learning to love that style of golf.

“Honestly, I enjoy that more when you have to think about it just that little bit and you certainly have to think about it up here.

“I’m excited and yeah, it’s good to give myself another chance to win and especially as it would have been very easy to take my foot off the gas after last week but I really wanted to come here to play well.

“Hopefully, I have two more good days of golf in me ahead of a two-week break, and I give myself a chance to win this tournament that I have wanted to win before, and had the great chance to win before.

“So, I would love to add this title to the list.”