Rory McIlroy’s U.S. Open plans were well on track with a rousing birdie-packed display on day two of the Memorial event in Dublin, Ohio.
McIlroy went into the second round of the Jack Nicklaus hosted event birding the closing two holes in Thursday’s starting 71.
And the World No. 3 came out clearly intent on building on his opening day finish with three birdies in his opening five holes on route to a six under par 66 for a share of 12th place and only five shots from the lead with 36 holes to play.
When looking at McIlroy’s birdies there was not better on the Muirfield Village course than at the first where McIlroy drained an 18-footer and much to the huge delight of the crowd.
McIlroy did drop a shot at sixth where he three-putted from just 22-feet but the reigning Irish Open champ was back on the track and heading towards the pointed end of the board with four blistering birdies in five holes from the eighth.
He holed a 17-footer at the par three eight for a ‘2’ and sank a monster 36-footer at the par four 10th for the sixth birdie of his day.
McIlroy moved to six under for the day when he birdied the third of the four par fives ahead of dropping a shot when his tee shot at the par three 12th hole landed in rough left of the flag ahead of then managing to par the next two holes ahead of singing for a 66.
“It was sort of tough teeing off in the second round knowing you were already 11 shots behind, so to shoot a 66 was good but I am a little disappointed that my round fizzled out a little bit after the 11th hole,” he said.
“There was a couple of opportunities there to shoot a 64 or a 63 but I can’t complain too much as I would have taken that on the first tee knowing I was then 11 back, so to be going into the weekend only five back I am in a decent position.”
The American duo of Branden Steele (67) and Matt Kuchar (66) shared the clubhouse lead on 12-under par.
And while McIlroy was seeking a rare back-to-back European and PGA Tour victory fellow Ulsterman Michael Hoey could be pleased with himself in ending a miserable new season run of 11 missed cuts in succession.
Hoey is guaranteed weekend work for a first time this year since finishing near the tail of the field in January’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The Belfast-born Hoey added a 71 to his opening 69 to be inside the top-20 at four under par.
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick posted a sizzling bogey-free 65 to lead by three shots at 11-under par.
