Rory McIlroy in control at British Open after another round of 66

After another strong round, Rory McIlroy will enter weekend play at the British Open with a four-stroke lead.

The golfer from Northern Ireland overcame an early bogey on Friday to finish with a second consecutive six-under-par 66 to reach 12 under for the tournament.

“I felt like I’ve been putting really well the last couple of days,� he said on ESPN’s broadcast from Royal Liverpool. “Try to keep it going through the weekend.�

Dustin Johnson picked up two strokes on the final two holes to grab second place at eight under. A small group including Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler was tied for third at six under with a few players left to finish.

Friday was not so kind to Tiger Woods, who needed a late birdie to make the projected cut line at two over.

“I was trying to be a little more aggressive,� he said of his attempt to build on a solid first round. “Just didn’t drive the ball.�

Woods wasn’t surprised by McIlroy’s performance, saying: “He’s done this before. Once he gets going, he can make a lot of birdies.�

As for his own prospects, the former No. 1 player remained optimistic.

“Luckily I have two rounds to go,� he said. “Hope I can play well on the weekend and at least give myself a shot.�