McIlroy back in front in Memphis

Rory McIlroy went to the turn in a three under par 32 today and led the FedEx St Jude Classic in Memphis again.

The 23-year-old Northern Irishman, who starts his defence of the US Open title on Thursday, birdied the second, fourth and seventh after resuming one behind.

McIlroy, hitting back brilliantly from three successive missed cuts, led on his own after the third of those, but with the lead changing hands no fewer than 14 times over the front nine he was joined first by American Dustin Johnson and then by Australian left-hander Nick O’Hern.

They were both bunkered on the 457-yard ninth and by failing to get up and down slipped back alongside Johnson’s compatriots Ken Duke, Ryan Palmer and John Merrick, while England’s Greg Owen and Dubliner Padraig Harrington were three behind and joint ninth with one and six holes to go respectively.