Four-time Major winning Rory McIlroy won the battle and bragging rights among golf’s new age ‘Big Three’ after two rounds of the WGC – Cadillac Championship.

McIlroy needed just 23 putts and 10 fewer than a day earlier in posting a sizzling seven under par 65 to share second place at eight under par on the Trump Doral course in suburban Miami.

Next best of the trio was World No. 1 Jordan Spieth and sharing 12th place at three under par but not adding to his opening score of 69.

While Aussie Jason Day was down in a tie for 41st spot after rounds of 72 and 74 for a two over par total.

“It was much better. I feel like I played similarly from tee-to-green. That really hasn’t been the issue over the past few weeks. But the putter was really what was the big difference,” said McIlroy.

“You know, held a really good par putt on 4, and then I made four birdies in a row after that to sort of get the round going. There was a lot of big momentum putts in there that I had not been holing. So to see those drop today and to be as comfortable as I was, it feels really good, and obviously very happy with where I’m at going into the weekend.

Rory McIlroy on route to a sizzling 65 on day two of the WGC – Cadillac Championship. (Photo – Getty Images)

“I’ve been playing it around in my head a little bit about making the switch. And the one thing that I was sort of worried about was the McIlroy copying Spieth. That was my big thing. That was the whole thing for me was that. But it’s felt really comfortable, it really has.

“As I said, I’d done it before my rookie year on The European Tour in 2008. Yeah, I’ve hit a lot of putts in practice with my left hand only, and I feel like just having the left hand lower, it keeps that feeling. With the right hand going on there, it’s more of a guide than anything else.

“I don’t think it takes that much courage. I mean, in my mind, it couldn’t really have gotten any worse. So why not make a change, and the change is feeling very comfortable at the minute, and as I said at the start of the week, I’m willing to stick with it for as long as I can.”

And McIlroy hinted some of the banter that went out between he and Spieth during the day’s play and with Spieth commenting on McIlroy’s new grip by remarking: “You’ve switched to the dark side, I see.” That’s what he said. (Laughter).

“I had a chat with him about it, and I played nine holes with Justin Thomas on Wednesday, as well, and he’s left below right. He went to the left below right for a couple of the same reasons that I did.

“I felt like when I put my right hand on the grip, I — to square my shoulders up, my right hand got stronger and stronger, that’s why it got a little bit more active. So to be able to put your hands on the grip and know your shoulders are perfectly square before you even try to hit a putt, knowing that your fundamentals and everything are set, it makes it much easier to just, you know, not think about that and rock your shoulders and make a good stroke.”