Full leaderboard, live scores, tee times, players to watch; Rory McIlroy; Adam Scott; Cameron Smith
Rory McIlroy took the lead at Friday’s Australian Open by making three birdies in his last four holes, while Portugal’s Daniel Rodrigues and Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen set the pace with 9-under-par scores at Royal Melbourne.
A trio of home golfers are chasing shared leaders; Min Woo Lee was one shot behind with a 6-under 65, while major winners Cam Smith (65) and Adam Scott (66) were a further stroke behind.
Smith, the 2022 British Open champion, posted a flawless six birdies on the second-round card.
Portugal’s Rodrigues shot a 7-under 64 to move up the leaderboard with one bogey and eight birdies on his card, while an eagle on the 14th helped Dane Neergaard-Petersen move to 66 points.
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen from Denmark.Credit: Getty Images
“I definitely feel like I’ve proven over the last year that I have the level to be able to compete here and be in the thick of things on Sunday,” Neergaard-Petersen said.
McIlroy found himself outside the cut line after hitting a clear-air putt in the bushes on the 14th and making a bogey, but the Northern Irishman responded with birdies on 15, 17 and 18 to card a 68 and move seven strokes clear of the leaders at two under.
“It really makes you think,” said McIlroy, who completed his career Grand Slam with a win at the Masters this year.
Reuters
