Three birdies in the last four holes gave Rory McIlroy a one shot lead at the halfway stage of the St Jude Classic in Memphis.

The World Number Two started the day on two under and made a perfect start with a birdie on the second and eagle on the long third.

Another birdie on the 11th was followed by back-to-back bogeys on the 12th and 13th, but the Northern Irishman looked in tremendous form ahead of next week’s US Open Championship defence down the closing stretch.

He birdied the 15th, hit a magnificent iron approach to the par five 16th and, although he missed a three foot eagle putt, he fired another tremendous approach to the last after a perfect drive for another gain and five under par 65.

At seven under par McIlroy leads by one from Americans J.B. Holmes, Jeff Maggert and Kevin Stadler.

Padraig Harrington managed a second straight 68 to stay in contention on four under in a share of eighth with, amongst others, Korean Noh Seung-yul.