Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry charging up Olympic leaderboard

Chile’s Mito Perreira has posted the best full round of the day with a six-under 65 while Cameron Smith of Australia is also six-under through 14.

Rory McIlroy of Ireland with his caddy Harry Diamond. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry have put themselves in the perfect position to challenge for an Olympic medal over the weekend with a pair of exceptional rounds at the Kasumigaseki Country Club on Friday morning.

McIlroy’s five-under par 66 and Lowry’s six-under 65 leave the Irish pair on seven-under after two rounds, three shots off Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz who, at the time of writing is four-under toady through 13 holes and ten-under for the week.