McIlroy right in the mix at Brookline after testing Friday

Rory McIlroy plays his shot from the 16th tee during the second round of the 122nd U.S. Open Championship in Brookline, Massachusetts. 

There have been days like Friday when an earlier kick in the teeth might cause Rory McIlroy’s chances to melt. Instead, it proved an opportunity to show his mettle.

McIlroy teed off Friday afternoon with a share of the lead in the U.S. Open at The Country Club on the back of his opening 67. But all of his hard work staking himself to a quality start was nearly wiped out by the third hole. By the end of the day, he’d gotten it all back plus one to happily return to where he started with a hard-fought 1-under 69.

“Today was a really good example of just having a good attitude,” he said.

At 4-under 136, McIlroy walked off the 18th green one shot off the lead set by Collin Morikawa and Joel Dahmen at 5-under.

“After 36 holes in a major championship, that's all you want to do is put yourself right in the mix going into the weekend,” McIlroy said. “For a little part of the day there, it seemed like I was going to be a few more behind, but I dug deep and played the last eight holes really, really well.” 

It almost unraveled from the start. McIlroy’s approach from 214 yards on the difficult third got caught in the left-to-right wind and sailed into some of the deepest and hairiest fescue on the course just right of the green. His first whack with his wedge jumped only a couple of feet. His second only a couple of inches. His third finally broke free of the grass and rolled out 25 feet past the cup.

From there. McIlroy buried the putt to salvage double bogey and stay in red figures.

“You don't want to try to be making 30-footers for 6s, but I got it in in the least amount of strokes possible on that hole after what happened,” McIlroy said. “I made two bad swings today. I made a bad swing on the second shot on 3, and I made a bad swing on the tee shot on 10 and limited the damage as much as I could. Those two holes cost me three shots.

“But I stayed patient, and I knew I was going to give myself chances if I just hit the ball the way I have been hitting it.” 

As McIlroy said Thursday when he released his frustration regarding USGA setups with a couple of minor tantrums: “It's one of those things it happens here, it doesn't really happen anywhere else. You just have to accept it.” 

McIlroy accepted his medicine Friday and proceeded to grind his way back up the board. Further bogeys at 6 and 10 were more than offset by birdies at 5, 8, 12, 14 and 17 – capitalizing on the chances he needed to take advantage of to get right back in the thick of the fight.

“I knew I was going to have chances, so I didn't panic,” he said of the early hiccup. “I didn't do anything stupid. I didn't force anything. I was rewarded with that patience by playing a really good back nine.” 

In a five-way tie for third after Beau Hossler holed out for birdie to get to 4-under as well, McIlroy will go off third from last with Aaron Wise. 

“I was trying to play my way into the final group and then I was told in scoring that the final group tees off at 3:45 tomorrow,” he said. “It's, like, maybe I don't want to be in the final group. Seems very late.

“I was trying to make birdie there on 18 to try to get to 5, but I'm really happy with my position. I played a good round of golf yesterday. I came back well today after a tough start, and yeah, I'm right in the mix. Couldn't be any happier.” 

Without a major victory in eight years since collecting his third and fourth in 2014, McIlroy takes a fresh approach into another weekend opportunity.

“I think I have to go out with the mindset this week that I'm going to try to win my first again,” McIlroy said. “I'm playing as good a golf as I've played in a long time. I have a lot of experience. Yes, I've won major championships and other big events, but I don't think just because I've done that, it doesn't mean that I'll hit better golf shots or I'll hit better putts.

“I'm in a good place. I'm really happy with where my game is at, and I think that's the most important thing.”