Rory McIlroy was walking taller in Memphis, slipping on his scoring boots to birdie two of his closing holes in a 66 on day two of the WGC – FedEx St. Jude Invitational.

McIlroy looked decided ‘rusty’ during Thursday’s opening two-over par 72 and just four days after going agonisingly close to a Bronze medal in last week’s Olympic Games golf.

It was a sharper four-time major winner on day two of the $US 10.5m event in grabbing five birdies and dropping just one shot compared to a day earlier when he managed just two birdies but also had two bogeys and a double on the TPC Southwinds course.

“Honestly, I played just as good yesterday as I did today,” he said.

Rory McIlroy gets his scoring shoes on to post a 66 on day two of the WGC – FedEx St Jude Invitational

“Yes today, was a six-shot difference but the difference was I didn’t have my scoring boots on yesterday as I scored horrifically, and just didn’t do anything right in terms of getting in the hole.

“Today was a little better as I holed a couple more putts that lead to a few more birdies.”

And McIlroy’s short game was sharper revealing he packed a new wedge into his bag heading to round two.

“It is so grainy around the greens so I got the guys at TaylorMade to overnight make me up another wedge that has a different sole and that made a big difference,” he said.

“I struggled so much around the greens on Thursday, so I put the new wedge in the bag and that worked so much better today.

“So, overall I’m a lot happier today with my scoring and looking forward to the weekend”.

Fellow Irish Olympian Shane Lowry snatched four birdies in his round but sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb is a fifth hole double-bogey when he found trees well left of the hole on route to a one-under 69.

Lowry three-under par 36-hole tally had him lying just outside the top-30

American Harris English added a 65 to his opening 62 to continue to lead and was in the clubhouse on 13-under par and with Ian Poulter (66) in form and just three shots back on 10-under par.