Rory McIlroy sits nine shots off the lead after second round 70

McIlroy, 34, believes victory on Sunday afternoon is still within reach if he can make inroads to the American’s lead, no matter what the weather does in the next two days

ROUGHING IT: Rory McIlroy on the 14th fairway during day two of The Open at Royal Liverpool, Wirral. Pic: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

Rory McIlroy is confident he will be prepared to deal with whatever weather conditions are thrown at Royal Liverpool over the weekend as the 151st Open Championship heads into its final two rounds on the Wirral Peninsula.

World number two McIlroy, seeking his first major title in nine years at the course where he won his sole Open title in 2014, battled to a one-under-par 70 on Friday to add to his opening level-par round on this notoriously difficult Merseyside links. The Irishman will start his third round on Saturday some nine shots off early clubhouse leader Brian Harman, the two-time PGA Tour winner who took this tournament by the scruff of the neck by moving to 10 under par thanks to a near faultless bogey-free, six-under 65.