McIlroy leads St Jude Classic at halfway mark

Second round leaderboard: * -7: R McIlroy (NI) * -6: JB Holmes (US), J Maggert (US), K Stadler (US) * -5: J Merrick (US), C Campbell (US), K Kisner (US) * -4: K Duke (US), D Love (US)

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Second round leaderboard:* -7: R McIlroy (NI)* -6: JB Holmes (US), J Maggert (US), K Stadler (US)* -5: J Merrick (US), C Campbell (US), K Kisner (US)* -4: K Duke (US), D Love (US)* Selected others -3: J Daly (US)* -1: G Owen (Eng)* Missed cut +4: Z Johnson (US)*+8: R.Knox (Sco), G.McDowell (NI)MEMPHIS - Rory McIlroy’s resurgence continued as a round of 65 gave him a one-shot lead at seven under par after two rounds of the St Jude Classic in Memphis.The 23-year-old, who has missed the cut in his last three tournaments, birdied three of his final four holes. Irishman Padraig Harrington is three shots off the pace in a share of eighth place after a second successive 68.But the former Masters champion Zach Johnson and 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell both missed the cut.McIlroy, who defends his US Open title at the Olympic Club in San Francisco next week, had missed cuts in three successive high-profile tournaments, the Players Championship at Sawgrass, the PGA Championship at Wentworth and last week’s Memorial Tournament.However, after an opening-round 68 in Memphis, he began day two with an eagle at the third and, although he dropped shots at the 12th and 13th, he went close to a second eagle when his putt from inside four feet at the 16th lipped out of the cup.The Northern Irishman’s driver was working well, and after a tee shot of 329 yards at the 18th, a pitch from 115 yards finished five feet from the pin and resulted in his fifth birdie of the day.McIlroy’s playing partners Harrington and McDowell had contrasting fortunes.