SINGAPORE OPEN SECOND ROUND SCORES:RORY McILROY had plenty to smile about after putting himself in contention for his first win as a professional at the Barclays Singapore Open with a three-under-par 68 at Sentosa Golf Club.
The Holywood, Co Down, teenager resumed his first round at the weather-interrupted Asian Tour event at one over after 14 holes, but an eagle at the 18th helped him finish with a one-under 70.
Teeing off on the back nine, McIlroy then fired an eventful 68 in the second round that featured an eagle at the seventh, double-bogey on the par-three eighth and birdie at the ninth.
"I had an interesting finish in the afternoon," said McIlroy, who is on four under at the halfway mark, two shots adrift of clubhouse leaders Simon Dyson and Ernie Els.
"Obviously to make eagle on seven was huge, and we had a bit of a wait on the next tee box and I just made a really poor swing and short-sided myself and left myself in a very difficult position and made double.
"But I bounced back on the last with a birdie, which was great. That gave me a positive attitude going out into the weekend."
"I am still trying to make my way as a professional so it is a chance to challenge myself against the best players in the world and so far I am doing pretty well," said McIlroy.
"I want to get in the mix on Sunday and, if I keep playing the way I am, I will be able to do that."
Els began at daybreak to complete his first round, finishing with 66, before firing a one-under 70 for his second.
Overnight leader Lam Chih Bing of Singapore is four under and could only play five holes before the rain set in.
He shares second spot on the leaderboard with Thailand's Chapchai Nirat and McIlroy.
Pádraig Harrington remained at one over through six holes, while world number three Phil Mickelson was two over par after seven holes.
Second round not completed.
136 - S Dyson (Brit) 69 67, E Els (Rsa) 66 70.
138 - C Nirat (Thai) 70 68, Rory McIlroy (N Irl) 70 68.
139 - T Bjorn (Den) 72 67, D Gleeson (Aus) 72 67.
140 - M Brown (Aus) 70 70, D Chopra (Swe) 69 71, S Maruyama (Jap) 72 68.
141 - C Rodgers (Brit) 70 71, J Mikha Singh (Ind) 73 68.
142 - D Bransdon (Aus) 73 69, D Singh (Ind) 70 72, S Strange(Aus) 71 71.
143 - Lu Wei-chih (Tai) 71 72, P Fowler (Aus) 72 71, J Kingston (Rsa) 72 71.
144 - K Horne (Rsa) 69 75, K Webber (Aus) 73 71, K Kyung-tae (Kor) 69 75, O Wilson (Eng) 71 73, M Mamat (Sng) 75 69, N Seung-yul (Kor) 72 72.
145 - H Buhrmann (Rsa) 73 72, A Murakami (Phi) 74 71, N Redfern (Eng) 69 76, N O'Hern (Aus) 73 72.
146 - P Muenlek (Thai) 76 70, G Flint (Aus) 76 70, R Moir (Aus) 70 76, J Pagunsan (Phi) 72 74, S Kapur (Ind) 74 72, L Wenteh (Thai) 74 72, S Chowrasia (Ind) 70 76.
147 - A Groom (Aus) 73 74, A-J Ng (Sng) 72 75, A Prathummanee (Thai) 73 74, C Plaphol (Thai) 71 76, KJ Choi (Kor) 70 77, L Wentang (Thai) 75 72.
148 - C Tsepeng (Thai) 74 74, H Rai (Ind) 76 72, L Kengchi (Tai) 71 77, P Meesawat (Thai) 74 74.
149 - S Srisakorn (Thai) 74 75, R Lee (Nzl) 74 75, A Johl (Ind) 74 75, T Kiyota (Jpn) 75 74, K Wook-soon (Kor) 77 72, B Kennedy (Aus) 74 75, A Rizman (Mal) 74 75, Q Quek (Sng) 77 72, R Kulacz (Aus) 80 69.
150 - W Ashun (Chi) 74 76, A Dodt (Aus) 75 75, P Lawrie (Sco) 75 75.
151 - T Pilkadaris (Aus) 73 78, M Brown (Nzl) 74 77.
152 - A Lascuna (Phi) 78 74, R Gangjee (Ind) 79 73, M Rominger (Swi) 78 74.
153 - B Fung (Sng) 73 80.
154 - Z Moe (Mya) 75 79.
155 - W Sripattranusorn (Thai) 77 78, C Panpumpo (Thai) 76 79.
156 - L Sung (Kor) 78 78, A-D Lam Jr (Sng) 77 79, P Phatlum (Tai) 80 76.
157 - S Hurd (Eng) 77 80.
