Rory McIlroy off RBC Canadian Open pace but Tom McKibbin 'good position' for European title defence

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy reacts to his putt on the second green during the second round of the RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & Country Club. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

​McIlroy finished in a two-over round of 72 to sit tied for 30th after his second round at Hamilton.

Ryan Fox was also on 10-under at the close, with Joel Dahmen next in line on eight-under.

Having enjoyed a bogey-free opening round, McIlroy hit pars yesterday across the first six holes.

However, a bogey on the seventh proved the sole setback before the turn.

He then wrapped up the first four holes of the back stretch with a bogey, par, birdie and bogey before pars heading home.

Another Northern Ireland golfer, Tom McKibbin, has hit the halfway stage of his European Open title defence six behind leader Laurie Canter on a six-under tally in Germany.

McKibbin followed up his 69 on Thursday in Hamburg with a 71 yesterday.

"I’m looking forward to the weekend because I’m in a good position on the leaderboard," he said on the official European Tour website. "Last year has given me confidence where I played well in the final rounds.

"And, hopefully, I can do the same again over the next couple of days.

"The course is playing a lot longer and a lot softer than last year.

"I’m hitting a lot of long-irons into the greens and some of the greens are generating a lot of back spin which is hard to predict."

He opened yesterday five shots back and the situation suffered a double-bogey setback on the opening hole.

However, he hit back with four birdies across a testing day.

"The rain and wind we had earlier in the day made it especially tricky," he said. "It was a very good day.

"It was obviously not the start I wanted with a double-bogey.

"But I battled back very nicely with some sensible golf and I got rewarded for that."