Rory McIlroy headed straight for the practice range after his performance slipped off the leading pace during the second round of the BMW Championship in St. Louis. The defending Masters champion opened the tournament with an impressive six‑under‑par 65, sharing the top spot after day one. However, on Friday he was only able to add a single stroke to his total, carding a 69 and finding himself a few shots off the leaders.

When asked by the Golf Channel about the conditions, McIlroy noted that they were largely similar to the previous day, but with a few subtle changes. "The wind was coming from a different direction, but it was still very scorable," he explained.

"The greens stayed soft and the fairways seemed to give the ball a little extra roll, yet you could still see players posting solid scores today." He admitted that his own ball‑striking wasn't as sharp as it had been in the opening round. "I didn't hit the ball as well as I did yesterday, so I think an afternoon at the range is in order for me," he said. Despite the setback, McIlroy expressed pride in his resilience. "I'm proud of how I just hung in there," he added.

"I saved a lot of pars on the back nine, especially. The only bogey I made was on the par‑five eighth after a mistake, but I pulled off some very good par saves that kept me in contention." McIlroy also took a moment to praise the spectators at Bellerive. The six‑time major winner said the crowd atmosphere was one of the highlights of his 2018 PGA experience at the venue.

"They're amazing," he said. "That's one of the biggest things I remember from being here in 2018 for the PGA was just how many people showed up and what a great atmosphere it was to play in. Yesterday was amazing for a Thursday. Today, teeing off at 9:45 on a Friday morning and the people out there were incredible.

I'm looking forward to more of the same over the weekend." Meanwhile, the leaderboard continued to shift. Two‑time U.S.

Open champion Wyndham Clark, who had not yet dropped a shot, surged ahead with a total of 12 under after posting consecutive rounds of 64. Gary Woodland trailed by a single stroke, while fellow American JJ Spaun appeared poised to dominate the second round after moving to 11 under at the turn. Spaun's momentum was briefly halted by three bogeys on the back nine, but two late birdies—including one on the final hole—allowed him to finish as the clubhouse leader among early starters at 10 under.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who opened with a 72 that left him two over par, stumbled on the first hole of day two but rebounded strongly after the turn. He recorded five birdies on the back nine, lifting him to three under and keeping him in the mix, albeit tied for 25th place.

The tournament will resume on Saturday with live coverage beginning at 4 p.m. on Sky Sports Golf and at 8:30 p.m. on Sky Sports Main Event.

Fans without a Sky subscription can explore streaming options that require no contract via NOW. The BMW Championship promises more drama as the leaders battle for the title over the weekend, and McIlroy’s decision to spend extra time on the range underscores his determination to regain his form and contend for the win.