Friday, 17 June 2011 18:37 UK
Rory McIlroy broke a host of records with another Maryland masterclass to surge clear on day two of the US Open.
McIlroy, 22, shot the lowest 36-hole total in US Open history and became the first man to reach 13 under, but double bogeyed 18 for a 66 to end 11 under.
YE Yang had yet to start at three under, while Sergio Garcia (71), Robert Garrigus (70), Brandt Snedeker (70) and Zach Johnson ended two under.
Phil Mickelson bounced back with a 69 to climb to one over at Congressional.
Northern Ireland’s McIlroy led by three shots after a stunning first-round 65 and he continued where he left off on greens softened by overnight rain.
McIlroy birdied the fourth and sixth and then saw his 113-yard pitch to the eighth spin back from the rear of the green and drop for an eagle as playing partner Mickelson applauded.
MCILROY’S US OPEN MILESTONES
- First man ever to reach -10 in R2
- First player ever to reach -13
- Lowest 36-hole total of 131
The shot gave McIlroy a seven-stroke lead and made him the first player in the 111-year history of the US Open to reach 10 under during the second round.
Another birdie followed at the 467-yard 14th and he watched in agony as his eagle putt on 16 stayed out by a hair’s breadth.
The ensuing birdie took him alongside Tiger Woods (2000) and Gil Morgan (1992) as the only man ever to reach 12 under in a US Open, but he took the record on his own at the 17th as another birdie putt disappeared.
But McIlroy caught the left rough with his drive on 18 and his second found the water short of the green en route to a double-bogey six.
A par would have broken Nick Faldo’s record for the lowest halfway total in major history (130 in the 1992 Open at Muirfield). He did, though, break the US Open record for lowest 36-hole total of 132 set in 2009 by American Ricky Barnes.
I know better than anyone else at the minute that things can turn very strange and weird things can happen
Rory McIlroy
The two dropped shots on 18 were the first strokes McIlroy had leaked all tournament. In 36 holes he has hit 32 greens in regulation and 20 of 28 fairways.
“It’s mostly to do with my attitude more than anything else,” said McIlroy. “I did a piece after Augusta where I said I needed to be a little more cocky, a little more arrogant on the golf course, and think a little bit more about myself, which I’ve tried to incorporate a little bit, just on the golf course.
“Par golf now could be good enough but I’ve got to go out there and play the way I have been playing and make very committed swings and play aggressively to the targets that I pick”
The biggest halfway lead in the US Open is the six-stroke advantage held by Woods – absent through injury this year – at Pebble Beach in 2000 en route to a major record 15-shot victory. In all majors it was the nine of Henry Cotton at Sandwich in 1934.
Should he go on to win McIlroy, a few months younger than Jack Nicklaus was when he lifted the first of his 18 majors in 1962, would be the youngest US Open champion since another legend of golf – amateur Bobby Jones – in 1923.
But McIlroy led the Masters for the first three rounds before carding a closing 80 to plummet to 15th in April, while he followed an opening 63 with a second-round 80 at the Open at St Andrews last year.
“I know better than anyone else at the minute that things can turn very strange and weird things can happen,” he said.
“I’ve got to keep focused and keep mentally strong for these next 36 holes.”
England’s Robert Rock added a 71 to his opening 70 for one under despite not arriving in time for a practice round after being delayed in the UK with visa problems.
Mickelson, who had a day to forget with his driver on Thursday, found a touch more control and picked up three birdies on his front nine, before dropping a shot at the 11th.
The 41-year-old, a five-time US Open runner-up, birdied the 14th and shaved the cup for an eagle on the 16th. Mickelson, like McIlroy, caught the pond on 18 and also made double bogey.
The cut is likely to fall at four over which would leave Stephen Gallacher, Hunter Mahan, Martin Laird, Rickie Fowler (all +5), Ian Poulter (+6) and Miguel Angel Jimenez (+8) all with a free weekend.
from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/13815890.stm
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Rory McIlroy was born on May 4th, 1989 according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_McIlroy
May 4th, 1989
5 + 4 +1+9+8+9 = 36 = his life lesson = what he is here to learn = Crushing [the competition].
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May 4th, 1989
May 4th
5 + 4 +2+0+1+1 = 13 = his personal year (from May 4th, 2011 to May 3rd, 2012) = Major changes.
13 year + 6 (June) = 19 = his personal month (from June 4th, 2011 to July 3rd, 2011) = Proud of his hard earned success.
numerology behind the news 