Getty Images |
Rory McIlroy overcame a sloppy finish to his second round as he survived the 36-hole cut at the Memorial Tournament without a stroke to spare.
In the end, the 24-year-old Ulsterman needed to get up-and-down for a par four at the difficult 18th to secure his place in the third round.
The world No 2 had been unable to complete his round on Friday due to bad light.
Almost 90 minutes had been lost during the afternoon, when play was suspended due to the threat of lightning.
After 14 holes in round two he stood at four-under-par for the tournament and, when he returned on Saturday morning, he immediately improved his position with a birdie at the par-five 15th.
However, McIlroy then bogeyed 16 and 17 before scraping a par at 18 for a round of 69 - he had carded a six-over 78 on Thursday.
At the 16th he found a greenside bunker, before three-putting the penultimate par-three 17th.
And at 18, on which he required a par in order to avoid the chop, he visited a fairway bunker off the tee before getting down in two from around 40 yards - as he single putted from four feet.
With 36 holes remaining McIlroy is 12 strokes off the pace set by Bill Haas who has had rounds of 68 and 67.
South African Charl Schwartzel is one shot behind after he returned on Saturday morning to post back-to-back birdies at 17 and 18.
Luke Donald, who left the course after 15 holes on Friday, returned to make pars on each of the last three holes and the Englishman's brace of 73s left him one stroke better than McIlroy.
World No 1 and defending champion Tiger Woods is 10 strokes behind Haas in a tie-for-43rd.
The 37-year-old American did not help his cause by posting a double-bogey seven at the 15th and he eventually signed for a second round 74.