Rory McIlroy shoots 71 in 2nd round, 2-under for PGA Championship

If Rory McIlroy wants to defend his PGA Championship crown, he needed to score low Friday to keep within striking distance heading into the weekend at Whistling Straits.

Beginning his day at 1-under, McIlroy scrambled to par his first six holes despite missing multiple fairways and greens in regulation. He broke through with his first birdie at the par-5 16th hole, but gave away two shots with a double bogey at the 18th to sit at even par, heading to the front nine.

The Northern Ireland native made up for the error at the 18th hole with a chip-in eagle on the par-5 second hole to get back to 2-under and would finish his day with that score after a birdie-bogey run at holes 6 and 7. He finished his round with a 71, moving to 2-under for the championship.

McIlroy told reporters that his ankle – which kept him out of the Open Championship at St. Andrews – felt fine after two rounds. Though he is in danger of losing his world No. 1 ranking to Jordan Spieth this week, the 26-year-old is just happy to be on the course.

"It's great to be back," the four-time major champion said following his opening round Thursday. "I was quite nervous on the first tee."

He will look to improve on back-to-back rounds of 71 on the weekend.

Rory's Round

18 - Hole 9 (Par 4, 446 yards)

• Approach shot lands on green, 17 feet short of the cup. Finishes round with 13th par of the day. (-2)

17 - Hole 8 (Par 4, 507 yards)

• Makes green in two, sticking approach shot inside nine feet. He would barely miss his birdie chance leading to another two-putt par. (-2)

16 - Hole 7 (Par 3, 221 yards)

• Misses par-3 green for second time, forcing awkward second shot on slope in green-side rough. Birdie chip stops six feet past the hole, two-putts for bogey. (-2)

15 - Hole 6 (Par 4, 355 yards)

• Nearly drives the green on the short par-4, chips second shot from fairway almost six feet past the hole. Knocks down birdie (-3)

14 - Hole 5 (Par 5, 603 yards)

• 300 yard drive barely misses fairway, makes green in three. Two-putts from 14 feet for eleventh par of the round. (-2)

13 - Hole 4 (Par 4, 489 yards)

• Second shot bounces over green, lands in rough on steep up-slope. Chips to within three feet, scrambles for another par. (-2)

12 - Hole 3 (Par 3, 181 yards)

• Tee shot lands 20 feet short of the hole, taps in for par after birdie putt curls around the right side of the hole. (-2)

11 - Hole 2 (Par 5, 593 yards)

• Second shot finds fairway right of the green. Chips in for eagle from 40 feet away to make up for earlier double bogey. (-2)

10 - Hole 1 (Par 4, 408 yards)

• 321-yard drive, sticks second shot 18 feet from the hole. Blows birdie putt 4 feet by the cup, saves par. (E)

9 - Hole 18 (Par 4, 520 yards)

• Approach shot finds deep rough on the opposite side of the green from the hole location. Needs two chips to get on green, two-putts from nine feet for double bogey. (E)

8 - Hole 17 (Par 3, 229 yards)

• Tee shot rolls inside of 16 feet, birdie putt curls right in front of the cup. Taps in par. (-2)

7 - Hole 16 (Par 5, 569 yards)

• Makes green in two, 53-foot eagle chance sits a couple feet short. Taps in for first birdie. (-2)

6 - Hole 15 (Par 4, 518 yards)

• Bombs 352-yard drive down the middle of the fairway, makes only second green in regulation of the day. Misses birdie putt by inches, taps in for sixth consecutive par. (-1)

5 - Hole 14 (Par 4, 397 yards)​

• Misses third fairway of the day. Approach shot bounces over the green into rough, birdie chip slips by the flagstick. Saves par. (-1)

4 - Hole 13 (Par 4, 404 yards)

• His 269-yard tee shot finds favorable lie in rough left of the fairway, approach shot rolls past hole, sits just off the green. Recovers and makes another par. (-1)

3 - Hole 12 (Par 3, 143 yards)

• Tee shot lands just off the green, 21 feet from the hole. He scrambles for par. (-1)

2 - Hole 11 (Par 5, 563 yards)

• Third shot from deep rough fails to reach green. Birdie chip rolls just left of the cup, saves par (-1)

1 - Hole 10 (Par 4, 361 yards)

• Misses 18-foot birdie putt by inches to the right. Taps in for par. (-1)