McIlroy’s pursuit of Scheffler continues

GOING FOR GLORY: Rory McIlroy hits from the ninth tee during the second round of the Genesis Invitational. Pic: AP Photo/Ryan Kang

Rory McIlroy finished with a flourish as he birdied his final hole in the second round of the Genesis Invitational on Friday.

McIlroy continued his mission to replace Scottie Scheffler at the head of the rankings to sit at six-under.

The 33-year-old shot an two-under 69 to be three strokes back of early clubhouse leader Kevin Mitchell, while Scheffler made up ground with a 68 to reach four-under overall.

Victory for McIlroy would see him overhaul the American regardless of the latter's result, while outright third place would be good enough for the Holywood player unless Scheffler finishes in the top 25 or Jon Rahm wins or is outright second. Rahm was among the late starters at Riveira.

McIlroy's playing partners Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas dropped back slightly, Thomas recording a 73 to finish at one-under overall, while Woods bogeyed three of his final four holes to shoot a three-over 74, leaving him in danger of missing the cut.

Woods was recovering from a fifth back surgery when he crashed his car in Los Angeles two days after the Genesis Invitational in February 2021, suffering multiple fractures of his right leg and ankle.

Shane Lowry shot a second consecutive 69 to sit at four-under overall, although the Offaly man will be disappointed with his bogey-birdie-bogey finish to the round.

Séamus

Power had an up and down round, with five birdies mixed with four bogeys on his way to a one-under 70, leaving him at one-under overall.

India's Aditi Ashok carded a second round of 66 to claim the halfway lead in the Aramco Saudi Ladies International.

Starting from the 10th at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, Ashok fired five birdies in her first seven holes before holing out from a greenside bunker on the par-five 18th to be out in 29.

The 24-year-old, who won her fourth LET title in Kenya by nine shots earlier this month, dropped shots on the first and sixth before completing her round with a birdie on the ninth.

At 13 under par Ashok enjoyed a two-shot lead over world number one Lydia Ko and American Lilia Vu, with Ko adding a 69 to her opening 64 and Vu matching Ashok's 66 despite the windy conditions.

"I thought it was pretty windy when I saw the birds going sideways," joked Ko, who carded six birdies and three bogeys.

"Luckily for us we were one of the early few groups in the afternoon so we had to bear the wind a little less than some of the other players, but all in all I thought I played pretty solid in that stretch when it did get pretty windy."

Leona Maguire shot a three-under 69 to sit at four-under overall, but Stephanie Meadow missed the cut.

Meanwhile, former European Tour chief referee John Paramor has died at the age of 67, the organisation has announced.

Paramor joined the Tour as an administrator in 1976 before qualifying as a referee and becoming one of the most recognisable and highly-respected officials around the world.

He went on to become chief referee in 1989 and gave perhaps his most famous ruling to Seve Ballesteros on the final day of the 1994 season at the Volvo Masters, with Ballesteros unsuccessfully seeking relief from a hole he said was caused by a burrowing animal.