McIlroy feeling better, takes 2-shot lead in Mexico City

MEXICO CITY - Sore ribs or sore stomach, it doesn’t seem to matter to Rory McIlroy. After being gone for seven weeks, he took a two-shot lead into the weekend at the Mexico Championship with a chance to return to No. 1 in the world.

McIlroy holed out from 156 yards for eagle on the 14th hole, part of a three-hole stretch Friday when he seized control at Chapultepec Golf Club. McIlroy missed putts inside 6 feet on his last three holes — one for par, two for birdie — and still shot a 6under 65.

“Look, I’m in a great position,” McIlroy said. “But I felt like I could have been a few more ahead.”

He got 14 hours of sleep to help overcome a stomach virus and said he was feeling a little better. His game looked better than ever. McIlroy was at 9-under 133, two shots ahead of Phil Mickelson (68), Justin Thomas (66) and Ross Fisher (68).

Mickelson will be in the final group on the weekend for the first time since his runner-up finish to Henrik Stenson at Royal Troon in the British Open. And he got there without his longtime caddie, Jim “Bones” Mackay, who fell ill on fourth hole of the second round and turned the bag over to Mickelson’s younger brother, Tim.

LPGA Tour

SINGAPORE - Inbee Park made a birdie on the last hole to take a onestroke lead over Michelle Wie and two others after two rounds of the LPGA’s Women’s Champions tournament.

Park lost her place atop the leaderboard when she made a double-bogey on the 12th hole, her only blemish in two rounds at the Sentosa Golf Club. But she regained her composure with birdies on the 14th and 18th holes.

European/Sunshine Tours

PRETORIA, South Africa - Alexander Bjork kept a share of the lead and was joined on 10 under by Scott Jamieson after two rounds of the Tshwane Open.