Rory McIlroy delivered a collector’s item of a double-bogey fist pump to keep himself firmly in the hunt for a fifth major title at the US Open.
The World No3, who is just one shot off the leaders after Friday's second round at Brookline, drained a superb putt to limit the damage after a horror show at the par-four third.
McIlroy’s second shot landed in knee high fescue and he took three shots to hack the ball onto the green before producing a magnificent save with a 23-feet putt.
"It's probably one of the best double bogeys I've ever made," said McIlroy, who joked it was the first time he had fist pumped a two shot loss at a major.
“It was massive," he said. "There aren’t many double bogeys where you have a little fist pump, but it was important to hole that and I came back really well after that.”
McIlroy endured two further bogeys - at the sixth and 10th - but shot five birdies to card a one-under round of 69 and finish the second day on 4-under.
The 33-year-old heads into Saturday's third round one shot off joint-leaders Collin Morikawa and Joel Dahmen and tied with Jon Rahm, Hayden Buckley, Aaron Wise and Beau Hossler.
McIlroy, fresh from winning last week’s Canadian Open, told Sky: “I made two bad swings. The second shot on three and then the tee shot at 10 and they cost me three shots.
“But how I played the last eight holes, I’m really proud of that. I’m proud to get in under par and stay right up there on the leaderboard. I stayed patient.”
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler is part of a six-man group one stroke behind McIlroy and two off the lead, with Matt Fitzpatrick three off the pace on two under.
Scheffler was two over after seven holes but birdied the eighth and 13th, holed out from 55 yards for eagle on the par-five 14th and picked up another shot on the 16th.
“I just stayed really patient,” said Scheffler who is chasing his fifth win in 2022. “Two silly bogeys early in the round, but outside of that I hit it really good.
“Three under was a good score for me, especially being two over through six.”
Read more: US Open 2022: Rory McIlroy completely loses his cool amid first-round charge
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