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Rory McIlroy, playing with a bandaged forearm, struggled to a three-over-par 73 in Friday's second round of the PGA Championship, leaving him 10 strokes behind overnight leader Steve Stricker.
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U.S. Open champion McIlroy hurt his wrist on the third hole Thursday and played through pain to finish at even par with his participation in the tournament in doubt.
However, he looked more comfortable as he dealt with the challenging Highland course at Atlanta Athletic Club on Friday.
"It was probably tougher mentally more than anything else, trying to get it out of your mind," said McIlroy after a round of three birdies, three bogeys and a triple-bogey on the 17th.
The Northern Irishman underwent an MRI scan Thursday that showed he had strained a tendon in his right wrist and had said he would wait till the morning before deciding whether to continue at the Atlanta Athletic Club.
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"If it wasn't a major, I probably would have stopped yesterday," said McIlroy.
McIlroy walked on to the practice range just 25 minutes before his tee time with tight strapping around his wrist and lower arm and a bandage up the length of his forearm.
The 22-year-old's appeal was evident from the six television cameras that followed his every move on the range and from the warm welcome he received from the gallery as he teed off on the 10th tee.
McIlroy drove sweetly down the center of the fairway as he began his attempt to catch up with first-round leader Stricker, who held a two-shot lead after shooting a 63 Thursday.
There was an early setback to that bid, though, when McIlroy bogeyed his opening hole with a three-putt but a birdie on the 12th was followed by another on the 16th where he sank a 45-footer to the delight of his fans.
STRONG PUSH
However, the Highland layout is well known for bringing players swiftly down to earth and McIlroy's hopes of making a strong push Friday were dealt a serious blow when he found water off the tee on 17 and three-putted for a triple-bogey.
On the front nine, McIlroy bogeyed the third and eighth while getting a birdie on the sixth but he missed a couple of key short putts that could have left him in a stronger position.
The main early mover Friday was 34-year-old American D.A. Points, who carded a three-under-par 67 for a four-under total of 136, three strokes behind the pacesetting Stricker.
