Rory McIlroy made a mockery of his lack of competitive action so far this season by surging into the halfway lead at the WGC-Mexico Championship and boosting his chances of reclaiming the World Number One spot.
McIlroy's only previous appearance in 2017 had come in the BMW SA Open hosted by the City of Ekurhuleni in January, when he lost out to Graeme Storm in a play-off despite suffering from what was subsequently diagnosed as a stress fracture to his ribs.
The 27 year old still arrived in Mexico City knowing that he could reclaim top spot in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time since August 2015 by winning his third WGC title, as long as current number one Dustin Johnson finishes joint fourth or worse.
And the four-time Major winner was ideally placed to fulfil his part of the bargain after a second round of 65 at Chapultepec Golf Club which left him two shots ahead of Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas and England's Ross Fisher.
Johnson carded a 66 to end the day in a share of fifth place with Andy Sullivan and Daniel Berger, Sullivan holing his approach to the ninth for an eagle before adding birdies on the 11th, 15th and 16th in a superb 65.
"Going out starting the day I would have taken a 65 but I had a great chance for birdie on 16, three-putt 17 and then miss from short range on 18." said McIlroy.
Déjà vu ⤵️@McIlroyRory has played six rounds so far this year.
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 4, 2017
He's already holed two nine irons. pic.twitter.com/qRJLNlK2a7
"I tried to approach this week not with low expectations, but just to see how it went, take each day as it came and through the first two days I'm in a good position.
McIlroy started the day by driving the green on the short par four first before three-putting for par, but then birdied the second, fourth, sixth and ninth to reach the turn in 31.
After a bogey on the 12th, McIlroy hit back in style with a birdie on the next before enjoying a stroke of luck on the 14th, where his approach landed 15 feet left of the flag but kicked back onto the green and rolled into the cup.
There was nothing fortunate about another birdie on the par five 15th, but the Northern Irishman then three-putted the 17th before seeing his close-range birdie putt on the last lip out.
Mickelson had earlier shown few ill effects after being forced to change his caddie early on day two, with Jim Mackay lasting just three holes before being forced to leave the course due to a stomach virus.
