Rory McIlroy feels he is “right in the tournament” following a strong second round that brought him within five shots of the lead at the US PGA Championship. After a disappointing four-over-par first round, McIlroy expressed frustration but rebounded with a bogey-free 67 at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia.

Starting his second day eight shots off the clubhouse lead, McIlroy's performance put him five back from leaders Alex Smalley and Maverick McNealy. He acknowledged the challenges of the course, stating, “At five back I do feel like I’m right in the tournament and that’s really what I wanted to do today.”

Key highlights from McIlroy's journey so far:

• Opening Round: Described as “s***” by McIlroy.
• Second Round: Improved significantly with a 67, one of the lowest scores of the day.
• Leader Board: A congested field with 15 players within two shots of the lead, marking a rare occurrence in major history.

The pace of play was notably slow, taking over five hours to complete his round, which McIlroy attributed to the nature of major championships. He commented on the difficulty of the course, with Scottie Scheffler, the world number one, agreeing that the pin locations were among the hardest seen on tour.

McIlroy expressed mixed feelings about the leaderboard's tightness, suggesting it might indicate a less-than-ideal course setup. He noted that while the course itself is good, the pin placements have made it challenging for players to distinguish themselves.

Looking ahead, McIlroy will tee off his third round alongside Brooks Koepka, with other notable pairings scheduled throughout the day.