Golf:Rory McIlroy dropped way off the pace on day two of the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston when he followed yesterday's 64 with a 76 after a dreadful finish to his round, while Pádraig Harrington got back on the straight and narrow with a three-under 68 to lie level par overall.
A bogey and double-bogey meant Rory McIlroy slipped from seven under to four under midway through his second round. Having turned onto the front nine, a birdie at the fourth hole represented a step back towards an even keel but the youngster bogeyed three of his last four holes to leave him just two-under-par at the halfway stage of the tournament.
That's 10 adrift of clubhouse leader Brandt Snedeker and Jason Day after a 64 and a 67 respectively. Luke Donald was two shots off the lead and Tiger Woods completed his first bogey-free round since returning to golf
Donald fired five birdies in a four-under-par 67 for a 10-under total. His display bodes well for next month's Ryder Cup, which could see him face Woods if the world number one earns a wildcard spot in the United States team on Tuesday.
After a succession of poor showings since ending his self-imposed exile from the game, Woods may just be rediscovering some semblance of form in the nick of time to make the team for the Celtic Manor.
"I figure if I play two good rounds and win the tournament, I should be all right," Woods said after shooting a six-under 65, one of the best rounds of the day, to move five under overall.
"I'm still learning to put this thing together. I'm going to have off days."
Woods is the defending champion of the FedExCup play-off series, of which this event is the second part.
He was not the only big name to score low, 24 hours after the tournament felt some of the force of Hurricane Earl.
Phil Mickelson sunk two monster birdies in a six-under 65 - his lowest round of the year - to to move to eight under overall.
Overnight co-leader Zach Johnson lost momentum and signed for a 71 to remain at eight under. He was overtaken by Charley Hoffman, who joined Donald and Day on 10 under, and found himself in a swathe on players two shots further back, including Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Hunter Mahan and Steve Stricker.