Shane Lowry surged up the Open leaderboard on day two as he launched himself back into contention.
The reigning champion showed his class on the second day after a hit and miss opening round one over par 71.
But the Offaly got out of the blocks fast with a birdie on the second hole and a bogey on the fifth was a false indicator how Friday would go for Lowry.
The Irish Olympian then closed out his front nine with three birdies in his last four holes as he sat at two under par.
And Lowry stayed steady with pars from 10 to 14 before picking up a couple of birdies on the way in.
And it could have been even better for Lowry as he narrowly missed for a birdie on the last as he rounded out for a five-under par 65 to leave him comfortably in the top 20.
Lowry was only behind Collin Morikawa, Emiliano Grillo and playing partner who shot pace setting six-under par rounds and the Offaly man was also paired with halfway leader Louis Oosthuizen who shot 65.
Padraig Harrington left the disappointment of an opening round 72 behind him as he grinded out for a two-under par 68 to make the cut.
The Ryder Cup captain hit bogeys on three and nine with a bogey on seven that left his weekend status in doubt.
But four birdies on the back nine sent Harrington up the leaderboard with only a bogey on 18 blemishing the back nine that left Harrington on level par.
Harrington was joined by Rory McIlroy at level par with the Hollywood man getting off to a nightmare start with back to back bogeys.
McIlroy bounced back with birdies on four and nine and went in the red with another birdie on 12 but back to back bogeys on 16 and 17 effectively ended his title charge but a birdie on 18 for the second day in a row maybe have left a sweeter taste in his mouth.
Darren Clarke, who won at Royal St Georges 10 years ago, hit a five-over par 75 as he failed to miss the cut.
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