Irish Open Round 2 Leaderboard: Rory McIlroy in contention at The K Club

Rory McIlroy carded an improved bogey-free 66 in the second round of the Irish Open to move within five shots of the lead heading into the weekend on home turf at The K Club. 

McIlroy, 36, opened with a birdie at the 1st before adding another on the par-5 4th. 

The World No.2 had to wait nine more holes for his next birdie but thankfully four came on the last six holes to see McIlroy shoot a 6-under 66. 

McIlroy narrowly missed out on an albatross on the par-5 18th but he looks on from 7-under par and inside the top five with two rounds to play in County Kildare. 

But the man McIlroy's got to catch right now is red-hot Swede Joakim Lagergren, who fired a stunning 10-under 62 to vault to 12-under par for the tournament.

Lagergren, 33, leads by one shot over Adrien Saddier, who matched McIlroy's round of 66. 

"It was good, I felt like I hit the ball similarly to yesterday but gave myself a few more chances with my approach shots," said McIlroy.

"I didn't make a bogey which was nice, couple of good par saves on the back nine and finished well, so overall pleased with the day's work and it at least keeps me within touching distance going into the weekend. 

"Obviously the two boys are a little bit ahead of the rest of the pack but I feel like I'm close enough that if I do have a good weekend I can chase them down."

McIlroy is seeking a fourth victory of the season having won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Players Championship and The Masters.

The Ulsterman is also closing in on a seventh Race to Dubai Rankings title on the DP World Tour, which would pull him to within one of all-time Order of Merit record holder Colin Montgomerie. 

McIlroy is currently some 400 points ahead of Marco Penge in the season race as it stands. 

Elsewhere at the Irish Open, LIV Golf's Tyrrell Hatton moved up to 6-under par after a 68, while Ireland's Shane Lowry carded a 71 to move to 4-under par. 

Brooks Koepka's woes continued as he missed his fourth of five cuts in tournaments outside of LIV Golf events this season.

Koepka stumbled to a shocking second-round 80 to finish well down the board on 7-over par in a tie for 127th. 

The five-time major champion will look to bounce back at the BMW PGA next week.

Conditions are expected to be dire during Saturday's third round of the Irish Open with strong wind and heavy rain forecast in County Kildare, so if you're heading to watch the action at The K Club be sure to take your umbrella and waterproofs.