RORY MCILROY: Bogey blemish but birdie boost at Travelers Championship second round

Rory McIlroy's second-round Travelers Championship card of 69 suffered off a late bogey at TPC River Highlands.
Rory McIlroy. Pic by AP.Rory McIlroy. Pic by AP.
Rory McIlroy. Pic by AP.

McIlroy held top spot at one point in Connecticut, bolstered by two birdies, before having to settle for a position three off the lead set by Brian Harman’s 66.

“I just need to go and do a little bit of work on the range and try to get a bit more comfortable for the weekend,” McIlroy told PGA Tour Radio. “I think if I can put the ball in the fairway and hit my irons as good as I have done over the first couple of days I’ll give myself a lot of chances for birdies.

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“Then it’s just about converting them and taking your opportunities when they present themselves.

“I little bit of work today after lunch and, hopefully, I’ll be ready for the next two rounds.”

Starting on the back nine, McIlroy got to eight under after holing a 20-foot putt for his second birdie of the day at the second hole. His first had come at the 296th-yard 15th, where he drove into a greenside bunker and splashed out to six feet.

But a bogey three holes from home dropped him back to seven under.

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McIlroy has also confirmed a return to South Africa later this year to take part in the Nedbank Golf Challenge.

The Sun City-based event from November 8-11 hosted by Gary Player marks the penultimate Rolex Series date on the European Tour’s Race to Dubai.

“I’m looking forward to going back to Sun City,” said McIlroy on the official European Tour website. “I haven’t been there in a long time, so I’m excited about playing it.

“I’ve always had a great time in South Africa whether it be golf, going on safari, or visiting some of the cities.

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“I have been fortunate to win the Race to Dubai on three occasions and this year I want to give myself every chance of winning it for the fourth time.

“So it is a huge week on my schedule and the penultimate event before we battle it out for the Race to Dubai title.”