Confirmed: Rory McIlroy Makes the Cut at the Open 2023, Tops Friday's Leaderboard

Rory McIlroy finishes third round of The Open at 1-under-par.

Rory McIlroy had a steady performance in the second round of The Open Championship, finishing at 1-under-par and in T11 position. Despite a promising start with birdies at the first and fifth holes, McIlroy's momentum was hindered by missed putts and a bogey at the 11th.

Although he had opportunities to score more birdies on the back nine, McIlroy's putter did not perform as expected. However, his par save at the 18th hole on Thursday seemed to energize him for the second round. He started off with a perfect drive, accurate approach, and a birdie putt to get off to a strong start.

McIlroy followed this with a solid par at the second hole, despite a wayward tee shot. His approach at the third gave him another chance at a birdie, but he missed a makeable putt. However, he quickly made up for it by chipping from a bunker and sinking a straightforward putt for his next birdie.

The next four holes were played with consistency, resulting in four successive pars. McIlroy's highlight during this stretch was a remarkable save at the ninth hole, where he found the long grass but still managed to hit the flag with his chip and sink the ball within six feet.

The back nine began with another par, but McIlroy's momentum was disrupted by his first bogey of the day at the 11th hole. He misjudged his putt, causing the ball to veer too far to the right and dropping him seven shots behind the leader, Brian Harman.

McIlroy had a chance to make up for this at the 12th hole, but once again, his putting was off target. However, he managed to get up and down from a bunker at the 13th hole to stay under par.

A small setback occurred at the 15th hole, bringing McIlroy back to even par. However, he finished strong with a birdie at the last hole from eight feet, ensuring that he ended the day below par and comfortably within the +3 cut.

Looking ahead, McIlroy faces a significant challenge if he wants to secure his second Open title. Brian Harman's impressive round of 65 in the second round puts him at 10-under for the tournament, making him the current leader at the halfway stage.

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