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Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. • Golf is starting to feel easy again for Rory McIlroy, who bounced back from a sloppy start Friday in the Honda Classic for a 4-under 66 that gave him his first 36-hole lead on the PGA Tour in 18 months.
Tiger Woods is making it look hard.
McIlroy recovered from two early bogeys by running off six birdies in a 10-hole stretch. He looked solid from tee-to-green, hit putts with growing confidence and wound up with a one-shot lead over Brendon de Jonge.
McIlroy was at 11-under 129.
Woods was over the cut line after scrambling for a bogey on the 11th hole and wound up with a 69 to make the cut on the number. Because 79 players made the cut, there will be another cut to top 70 and ties on Saturday. Woods missed the 54-hole cut the last time he played on the PGA Tour at Torrey Pines.
And at least he's still playing the weekend. That wasn't the case for Phil Mickelson. Playing the Honda Classic for the first time in 12 years, he had a 71 to miss the cut. So did Henrik Stenson, the No. 3 player in the world, with rounds of 73-76.
LPGA Tour
Australia's Karrie Webb opened a two-stroke lead in the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore, shooting a 3-under 69 to reach 9 under.
The 39-year-old Hall of Famer won the Women's Australian Open two weeks ago for her 40th LPGA Tour career. She won the 2011 event at Tanah Merah. —
Leaderboard
Honda Classic
Rory McIlroy -11
Brendon de Jonge -10
Russell Henley -8
Lee Westwood -7
Russell Knox -7
Also
Daniel Summerhays -5