Rory McIlroy puts the Masters behind him and charges into the lead at the second round of the Malaysian Open 2011
Rory McIlroy has gone and left his final round Masters nightmare well behind him as he shoots into the clubhouse lead at the second round of the Malaysian Open 2011. After a superb eight under 64 the twenty-one year old now holds the joint lead with first
round leader Alexander Noren. Fading light had forced the organizers to delay the second round till tomorrow with many golfers yet to finish their rounds. However, it looks unlikely that any of them will overtake the McIlroy-Noren pair.
Swedish golfer Noren finished the day with a score of 3 under 69, but it was his blistering first round score of 64 that puts him in the share of the lead. The only one looking threatening enough to overtake the leaders at this point is the young Italian
Matteo Manassero. Manassero, who held the clubhouse lead for a while in the first round and finished the first day at second place, is placed at six under par after thirteen holes, maintaining his first round score.
McIlroy had a round to be proud of. Completely shrugging off his Masters meltdown, the Northern Irishman shot three birdies on his first four holes and then added five more on the 10th, 12th, 13th, 16th and 17th
in a flawless bogey-free round. McIlroy also managed to hit the longest drive of his career in the first round, the shot crossing the 400 yard mark. He is most definitely letting his clubs do all the talking for him.
Masters winner Charl Schwartzel did not fare so well. In the first round the South African dropped three shots on the opening nine, before making amends with two birdies on the back nine to finish with one over 73. So far in the second he has done only marginally
better. His score is now level par with five holes still to play.
World No.1 Martin Kaymer continues to struggle with his form. Much like Lee Westwood before him, the German golfer has struggled to make much of an impact ever since he was elevated to the top of the World Golf Rankings. He added a score of one under par
71 to his first round score of two under par 72 and is now in an eight player logjam for 28th place.
With still half of the field to resume play tomorrow, Simon Dyson is in second place at ten under after his second round 64. Three strokes off him and tied for third place are Australian Brett Rumford and Scot Stephen Gallacher.
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