Rory McIlroy is just one stroke off joint leaders Danny Willett and Marc Warren heading into the weekend at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
Willett held the overnight lead at the K Club after a scintillating opening round, but did very little to add to his advantage today allowing Warren to take a share of the lead.
McIlroy opened his round identically to yesterday, three pars and a birdie to set him away as one of the day's early starters.
A bogey on 17 was rectified by this lengthy birdie 18 before this lengthy birdie putt on the first:
From 31 feet... https://t.co/xCCCUp6tUA
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 20, 2016
Two bogeys either side of a birdie on the third and fifth was followed by three pars and a birdie to finish. He carded a 70 for his morning's work, leaving him on -7 for the tournament, one shot adrift of the leaders.
"I'm excited to be here for the weekend and have a chance to win the tournament" he said after today's second round, "Today maybe wasn't quite as good as yesterday but I still think I played a decent round of golf.
"I think anything under par in those conditions this morning was OK, so I'm excited with two days to go."
Shane Lowry endured a difficult second round in Kildare.
A birdie on the first followed by four consecutive pars saw him make a solid start as he tried to add to yesterday's opening round 71.
Two bogeys on six and nine unsettled the Clara man, but the worst was yet to come. A birdie on 11 was offset by a double bogey on after finding water from his tee shot.
A bogey on 15 put him under real pressure and after finding water on the last he needed a massive par putt to make the cut for the weekend's action, which he duly delivered.
Shane Lowry did just enough today to earn himself a spot in this weekend's action. Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Gavin Moynihan shot five birdies as well as a bogey and double bogey to finish on -1 to add to his opening round of par.
Gary Hurley shot a -1 today to sit back at level pa for the tournament, while Paul Dunne shot a +3 today to undo yesterday's good work and slip back to +1.
Paul McGinley also remains in the mix, he followed yesterday's par with a 71 and sit seven shots back of the leaders.
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