McIlroy recovers from early setbacks

Rory McIlroy shook off two early bogeys at Quail Hollow to climb back towards the business end of the proceedings with a one-under-par 71 this afternoon.

The world number two shared the overnight lead on five under after a 67 yesterday but was unable to build on it significantly this morning as one of the early starters. Nonetheless, on six under he is well placed for the weekend’s play in the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina.

On the course where he won his first professional title in 2010, the Northern Ireland golfer opened with a bogey six at the 10th and dropped another at the 18th, but turned it around on the way in with birdies at one, four and eight to set the early clubhouse target alongside Lee Westwood.

The Englishman surged up the leaderboard with a four-under-par 68.

The pair were one behind outright leader Scott Gardiner, although it could have been even better for Westwood had he not bogeyed three holes from the end.

He made a fantastic start to his round with a birdie on the par-five 10th, although he dropped a shot on his third. A run of five birdies in eight holes briefly took him to the top of the leaderboard before he dropped back after he could only manage a bogey-six on the seventh.

Gardiner, like Westwood, was enjoyed a productive day and finished on seven under after a 67. The Australian picked up four successive birdies en route to five under for the day to give him the edge over Westwood, McIlroy, compatriot Rod Pampling and Jason Kokrak of the United States.

Americans Phil Mickelson and Robert Garrigus late joined Gardiner on seven under, through seven and five holes respectively.

Lucas Glover, the 2009 US Open champion, is one of six players in a tie for sixth on five under overall.

Pádraig Harrington was one over through six holes of his second round, meaning he was propping up the leaderboard on nine over after yesterday’s disastrtous 80.