McIlroy moves through the gears in Crans

Rory McIlroy. Picture: Getty Images

Rory McIlroy slammed his foot on the accelerator and fired scintillating second round 63 to roar into contention for the Omega European Masters.

As Padraig Harrington, Paul Dunne and Gavin Moynihan missed the cut in the Swiss Alps, McIlroy produced a sensational finish in his quest for a title that escaped him in his rookie season.

Just two-under for the day despite rattling five birdies in the first 12 holes, he picked up five shots in his last five holes. Scores

After blasting a 397-yard drive, he birdied the 559-yard 14th, then followed an eagle three after another 355-yard missile at the uphill 15th with birdies at the 16th and 17th in a homeward nine of 30.

His seven-under round left him just one stroke behind Malaysia's Gavin Green on 10-under par, tied for second with Tommy Fleetwood, Australia's Wade Ormsby, Austrian Matthias Schwab and Argentina's Andres Romero.

"I'm excited to give myself another chance to win," said world number two McIlroy, who won the Tour Championship and the $15 million FedEx Cup on Sunday and is now looking to cut Brooks Koepka's lead at the top of the world rankings.

"It would have been easy for me to take my foot off the gas after last week, but I really wanted to come here and play well.

"Hopefully I've two more good days of golf left in me, and give myself a chance to win this tournament, which I've had a great chance to win before. I would love to add this title to the list."

While McIlroy is not afraid to use his driver at a tight Crans-Sur-Sierre, he’s become more comfortable playing strategic courses in recent years. 

“Even last week at East Lake was a strategic course in some ways,” he said. “Yes, you have to hit a few more drivers.

"But I have won around there twice and won on another par 70 this year in Canada. Sawgrass is a strategic golf course. So I am learning to like that style of golf. 

"Honestly, I enjoy that more when you have to think about it. And you certainly have to do that here."

Trouble for Dunne and Moynihan

The cut fell at one-under-par, but Harrington (who is 48 today) shot 73 to miss out by five strokes while Dunne carded a 74 and Moynihan a 76 to finish on seven and nine-over respectively.

It's been a tough recent run for Dunne, who has now missed six of his last seven cuts and could fall to 100th in the Race to Dubai with only the top 110 keeping their cards.

Dunne’s exemption for winning the British Masters in 2017 runs out at the end of this season while Moynihan, who is also exempt until the end of this year, is 153rd in the Race to Dubai.