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March 28, 2024

Flurry of birdies puts McIlroy in driver’s seat at British Open

Rory McIlroy

Peter Morrison / AP

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays out of a bunker on the 16th hole during the first day of the British Open at the Royal Liverpool golf club in Hoylake, England, on Thursday, July 17, 2014.

Updated Friday, July 18, 2014 | 11:43 a.m.

HOYLAKE, England — Rory McIlroy has shot his second straight 6-under 66 at the British Open, giving him a commanding lead heading to the weekend.

Shaking off the second-round doldrums that marred his year, McIlroy closed with three birdies in his final four holes Friday to push his 36-hole score to 12-under 132.

McIlroy made his first bogey of the tournament at the first hole, but that was his only major miscue. He birdied seven of the next 17 holes to take a four-shot advantage over Dustin Johnson to the weekend.

Johnson had the best round of the tournament with a 65 for a 136 total. Rickie Fowler, Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel, Francesco Molinari and Ryan Moore are at 138.

Tiger Woods barely made the cut after shooting a 77.

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