A bogey-bogey close to his second day at the season’s second major left survival mode Rory McIlroy in the weekend schedule but nine shots off leader Jhonattan Vegas.

The Masters champion entered Quail Hollow reflecting on plans for a more ‘relaxed’ approach to the high-profile stage thanks to that Augusta glory last month that put McIlroy in the exclusive six-strong grand slam club off a fifth major career triumph.

Trailing Vegas by 10 after Thursday’s opening outing of three-over-par 74, McIlroy spent his second round facing a fight to avoid an early exit with the cut line set at +1.

Alongside defending US PGA champion Xander Schauffele and world number one Scottie Scheffler, McIlroy posted birdies over the second, seventh and eighth holes across a blemish-free front nine.

placeholder image — Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy reacts to a chip shot on the fifth hole during the second round of the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

He kicked off the return leg with another birdie to turn the tables on a three-over-par start and sit four under for the round.

Then back-to-back bogey blues came across 11 and 12 before back-to-back birdies over 14 and 15 to brighten up his position.

More bogey trouble arrived to close out the two-under round of 69 and leave McIlroy on one-over overall but, crucially, on the cut number so still in the tournament.

Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin finished on 71 to match up Thursday’s 70 and hold a spot at one-under overall.

A birdie and bogey alongside par returns left him even for day two in North Carolina.

Heading into the Charlotte challenge, McIlroy reflected on his Masters success and impact on his approach to the game.

“I have achieved everything that I wanted, I’ve done everything I’ve wanted to do in the game,” McIlroy said on Wednesday. “I dreamed as a child of becoming the best player in the world and winning all the majors. I’ve done that. Everything beyond this, for however long I decide to play the game competitively, is a bonus.

“If I can just try to get the best out of myself each and every week, I know what my abilities are. I know the golf that I can play.

“And if I keep turning up and just trying to do that each and every week, especially in these four big ones a year, I know that I’ll have my chances.

“I’ve always said I’m never going to put a number on it. I’ve talked about trying to become the best European ever or the best international player ever or whatever that is.

“But again, the numbers tell one story, but it mightn’t be the full story.

“I feel like I sort of burdened myself with the career grand slam stuff, and I want to enjoy this.

“I want to enjoy what I’ve achieved, and I want to enjoy the last decade or whatever of my career, and I don’t want to burden myself by numbers or statistics. I just want to go and try to play the best golf I can.”