Player Championship: Rory Mcilroy two from half a lead, as Justin Thomas equals a record in TPC Sawgrass | Golf news

Rory Mcilroy is two of the half of the lead despite the frustrating finish in his second round to the players, as Justin Thomas was charged back to a historical return.

Mcilroy produced a very improved display from the T -shirt and overcame the leaderboard after six Birdies in his first 11 holes, only with Bogey two of his last four holes and closes a second round of 68.

The world No. 2 is heading to the weekend nine down and in contact with Min Woo Lee and Akshay Bhatia, who destroyed 66s to drive at 11 below JJ Spaun, with Mcilroy sitting in a quarter with Collin Morikawa and Alex Smalley.

Tommy Fleetwood is in four of the lead after six under 66 and the world 1 Scottie Scheffler is six behind as he chases a three-frying history at the event, while Thomas returned from his opening 78 with a stunning 10-deder 62.

Thomas was eight after 13 holes on the first day, but now he is only seven of the lead after Carding 11 Birdies – a tournament record – in his second round, where he was equivalent to the record, despite the final hole of the day.

Mcilroy in controversy despite the late Bogeys

Mcilroy broke from the tenth green, the hole in the opening of the day, and then responded to the loss of a chance of five feet in the Par-Five then with Birdieing three of his next five holes and adding another to the 18th Par-Four.

He reached the turn of 31 and drove briefly after taking advantage of the second of a second, lifting him six down for the day, before he failed to get up and descended from the sand to the sixth quarter and confusing the Par-Five.

“Much better,” Mcilroy said when he was asked to evaluate his swing, finding only four platforms in the opening of 67. “Hit it much better than the t -shirt.

“Yes, I got it in the game much better and then from there I was able to give myself some opportunities and obviously to do some birdies early.

Lee set the goal of the Clubhouse after six Birdies in nine holes during his round, with Australia’s only shot coming to Par-Five, while Bhatia put eight Birdies and two Bogeys also publishing 66 and reaching 11 down.

Thomas produces a historical return

Thomas, the champion of 2021, destroyed a remarkable improvement of 16 shots in his opening round, where he needed a Birdie-Birdie finish just to publish 78, with the former world No. 1 starting his epic battle with back-to-back birdies.

Thomas added three more to a front of nine 31 and published four consecutive Birdies from the 11th to go nine down for the day before taking a shot on the Par-Five 16th and draining a 20-Footer in the virtual 17th.

A par in the latter would be enough for Thomas to break the final record, only to equate Tom Hoge in 2023 after dragging his approach to water and record a bogey closure.

Smalley is the best of half of the end of the draw, with 68 and 67 rounds carrying him nine down, with Morikawa-last week at Arnold Palmer Invitational-also within two of the lead after a second round of 65.

The two -time big winner Xander Schauffele, playing with Scheffler and Mcilroy, who committed the ninth – the final hole of the day – to finish one down and extend his order from the cuts to 59, the biggest of Tiger Woods since 1998-2005.

Shane Lowry also made the signal of one down, while Justin Rose, Hideki Matsuyama, Ludvig Åberg and Viktor Hovland were one of the high profile names to fail to spend the weekend.

Who will win the players? Watch all weekend live on Sky Sports? The coverage continues on Saturday from 1 pm In Sky Sports Golf, with 10 additional foods – including characterized holes, characterized groups and bonus coverage – in Sky Sports+. Get Sky Sports or flow without contract now.

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