Rory McIlroy happy to keep climbing in quest for more Major glory at Aronimink

Rory McIlroy was proud to have "climbed my way out of that hole" as he continued his fantastic comeback at the US PGA Championship.

After an opening 74 at Aronimink Golf Club, the Northern Irishman found himself outside the top 100 and looking more at a battle to make the weekend rather than lift the Wanamaker.

The field was bunched, however, meaning he was just seven off the lead and a second-round 67 edged him back to one over and just five off the lead.

On Moving Day, he briefly completed his climb as he hit the top of the leaderboard and while a plugged lie in a bunker on the 17th meant he could not stay there, the two-time reigning Masters champion will have a chance to challenge on Sunday.

"I had a really bad finish on Thursday but at the end of the day, I was only seven back," he said.

"Like I thought back to last year's Masters, I was seven back after the first day, and I was two ahead going into the final day. So there's a lot of golf and a lot of things can happen during the course of a golf tournament.

"I've progressively just got a little bit closer to the lead each day.

"I've climbed my way out of that hole a little bit... I'm proud of myself for doing that, but there's one more day left. Depending on what the guys do, be close enough to the lead, I feel like I've still got a good chance.

"I think it's just setting yourself little targets. Yesterday I set myself a target of getting back to even par for the tournament, didn't quite get there, was one shy.

"Again today, set myself a target of if I could get to five under par, one better than the leaders going out. Again, didn't quite get there, but I think just setting yourself these little targets, it helps you just lock in and focus on yourself and not really think about anything else that's going on. And I've done a good job of that over the past couple of days.

"I feel like I still did enough to think I have a chance going into tomorrow."

McIlroy biried the first and while he gave the shot back on the fourth, he put his tee shot on the par-three next to 12 feet and then drove the 397-yard par-four sixth to set up another gain.

He then took advantage of the par-five ninth and birdied the 11th and driveable 13th befre that plug dropped him back to three under.

"Wind direction is a little bit different," he said. "So I think it makes some of the holes play slightly easier than they've played the first couple of days.

"Yeah, some hole locations are a little more generous, but there are still some hole locations that have been tucked away. 13 is up, is drivable, and the two par fives are downwind, so they're very much reachable. Yeah, there's a number of factors.

"And I think as well, we're two days into the tournament, or three days now, and you learn the course as you go along, and guys are just getting more comfortable with certain clubs off tees or having a better idea of the greens and where to miss and where not to miss.

"I just think we all, as every day goes on, we just keep learning a little bit more about the golf course and getting a little more comfortable, and that's what you're seeing today."