McIlroy made three birdies and no bogeys in his second round (AP Photo\/Carolyn Kaster)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\u201cBut it\u2019s different in a sense on this golf course, because Oakmont, their greens are extremely severe, but they\u2019re extremely severe in one direction. Here, it\u2019s like the green may slope all this way and then we put the pin down here and then there\u2019s also a slope this way. And like it\u2019s not as, how would you say, natural to the slopes that are there. There\u2019s a bit more, I think, that\u2019s manufactured into the greens, and it\u2019s just very difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n
McIlroy anticipated an easier test at the weekend, should the pin locations change and the weather improves.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith calmer conditions and maybe a couple more favourable hole locations, I think everyone\u2019s got to feel like they have got a chance,\u201d McIlroy added.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, it\u2019s bunched, but you get on a run with wedges on that front nine and you shoot four, five-under and all of a sudden you\u2019re right in the thick of things.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt five back I do feel like I\u2019m right in the tournament, and that\u2019s really what I wanted to do today was to just get myself back in it.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Patrick Reed was left frustrated by the eighth hole, describing it as \u201cdumb,\u201d he maintained that the set-up was preferable to very low scoring.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you grow up the rough, you have the greens this fast and slopy, and you have it cold and the wind blowing, the golf course is going to play tough,\u201d the former Masters champion said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI honestly would prefer a major championship playing like this than 20-something under par winning. You want them to play hard. You want them to be a good test. That\u2019s what they have here, a great test.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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