Rory McIlroy makes cut with nothing to spare at Travelers Championship

Rory McIlroy narrowly avoided his second weekend off in a row as he struggled to a three-over 73 on day two of the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.

McIlroy has been encouraged by his opening 67 on his debut at TPC River Highlands, but he was out of sorts in all departments on Friday as Jordan Spieth retained his lead at the halfway stage.

Spieth added a resolute 69 to his opening 63 to hit the front on eight under, while McIlroy slipped to level par and Jason Day's poor form continued as he missed the cut and also signed for the wrong score.

McIlroy spurned a series of birdie chances and dropped a shot at the fifth in a low-key outward 36, and he then bogeyed 11 and 12 and seemed likely to blot his card again at the long 13th when he blocked his drive into water.

But he took his penalty drop and hammered a stunning three wood to 15 feet before two-putting for par, and his respite clearly lifted him as he birdied the 14th and 15th to get back to two under for the tournament.

However, McIlroy then bogeyed the 16th and spilled another shot at the last in unfortunate circumstances as, with just 100 yards to the hole and a wedge in hand, his back foot slipped on his downswing and he chunked his approach barely 60 yards.

"My right foot completely just came out from under me," said McIlroy after winding up with his fourth bogey of the inward nine. "There was a tiny bit of drizzle and maybe a little bit of surface water. It was weird. As soon as I started down I just felt it and I couldn't stop. Not a very nice shot to finish with."

The world No 3 did at least manage to advance to the third round, but Day was not so lucky as he fired a 69, although he actually signed for a 70 after marking a par on his card for the third where he actually made birdie.

It made little difference for the Aussie in the end as he closed on two over par, two strokes adrift of making the weekend.