The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
McIlroy beats virus, rides eagle to lead
Second-round 65 builds 2-shot edge; Mickelson second.
Sore ribs or sore stomach, it doesn’t seem to matter to Rory McIlroy. After being gone for seven weeks, he has a two-shot lead 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 threehole 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 6-under 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 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.
Thomas, who won the opening two events of the year in Hawaii, had seven birdies and three bogeys over his last 13 holes.
McIlroy is playing for the first time since losing a playoff Jan. 15 in South Africa. He was diagnosed with a hairline fracture of his rib the next day and missed four tournaments to make sure it healed properly.
He showed that blend of power and balance in the thin air of Mexico City and struck his irons close for so much of the day. His longest birdie putt was 12 feet, and McIlroy had reason to lament the ones that got away. He missed four putts from 6 feet or closer.
“I just felt like I had a bit more energy. I had a bit more pep in my step,” McIlroy said. “I wasn’t just trying to get through the round today, I was trying to build on the score that I had, and it was nice to feel like that again.”
He wasn’t alone in missing short putts.
Dustin Johnson, in his debut at No. 1, still watched a number of putts wiggle to the hole on the poa greens and a few more went in. He birdied three of his last four holes for a 66 and was among those three shots behind.
Johnson can keep the top ranking if he finishes in the top four.
LPGA Tour: Inbee Park birdied the last hole for a one-stroke lead over Michelle Wie and two others in the HSBC Women’s Champions tournament in Singapore.
Park lost her place atop the leaderboard with a double bogey on the 12th hole — her only blemish in two rounds at the Sentosa Golf Club— and then recovered with birdies on the 14th and 18th.
The Olympic gold medalist had a second consecutive 67 to lead the $1.5 million event at 10-under 134.
Wie, who led overnight after a 66, shot a bogey-free 69 to join Hur Mi-Jung (67) and Ariya Jutanugarn (68) in a three-way tie for second.
European Tour: Alexander Bjork kept a share of the lead and was joined on 10 under by Scott Jamieson after two rounds of the Tshwane Open in Pretoria, South Africa. They led James Morrison by one, with three players a shot further back.
Bjork, who shot a 4-under 67, is playing in only his ninth European Tour tournament and is seeking his first victory. Jamieson’s 65 included four birdies from Nos. 5-9. Thomas Aiken had the low round of the day (62) to move into the tie for fourth.