Rory McIlroy has secured his spot in the weekend of the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. After a 3-under 67 in Friday's second round, McIlroy stands at 1-under par overall, seven strokes behind leader Lucas Herbert. Herbert and Sam Burns both tied the major championship scoring record with 8-under 62s on Friday.

McIlroy, the 2014 Open champion, acknowledged the need for a significant performance in the third round to contend for a second Claret Jug. He attributed improved putting to work with his coach, Brad Faxon, after struggling on the greens in the first round. While not yet fully comfortable, his driving remained strong, including two drives onto the green on the ninth hole, resulting in birdies.

Looking ahead, McIlroy believes a strong start on Saturday, aiming for 4 or 5 under par for the tournament, could position him to contend for his seventh major. He noted that some leaders might have less experience in contention during a major's weekend compared to seasoned players like Cam Young and Burns.