Jimmy Walker
Jimmy Walker shares the lead after two rounds in New Jersey Getty Images

KEY POINTS

  • The American duo are two shots clear at the halfway stage.
  • McIlroy blames his putting woes on his early exit.

Robert Streb and Jimmy Walker share the lead at the US PGA Championship at Baltusrol after 36 holes. The pair currently sit two shots ahead of the chasing pack on nine under-par in New Jersey.

American Walker, who led after the opening round, bogeyed the 18th hole to record a 66, while Streb birdied his last for 63 and a share of the lead with two rounds remaining in the final major of 2016.

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"I think you take 66 at any tournament all day every day. So it's good," Walker, 37, said after his latest eye-catching round, according to the BBC. "I will watch the leaderboard on Saturday. I don't think that's a big deal. I enjoy watching it. I think you need to know where you are at."

Streb - who has missed the cut at each of the first three majors of the year - became the 30th player to card a 63 in a major on Friday (29 July). After his record-equalling round, the American revealed he turned up this week "just to see if I could play some good golf and have fun". He explained: "Obviously it's going pretty well, but my expectations are pretty low, which maybe is a good thing."

Elsewhere at Baltusrol, former world number one Rory McIlroy missed the halfway cut at the US PGA Championship for the first time in his career. The two-time US PGA Championship winner shot a one-under 69 to finish three over and miss the cut by one.

Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy endured more frustration on day two in New Jersey Getty Images

The Northern Irishman subsequently admitted his struggles with the putter cost him dearly. "My tee to green game, there's not much wrong with that," he said. "It's pretty solid. If you had given anyone else in this field my tee shots this week, they would have been up near the top of the leaderboard. It just shows you how bad I was around the greens."

Meanwhile, Jason Day, the defending champion, made eight birdies in a 65 to get to seven under-par. He is tied third with Emiliano Grillo (67) of Argentina, while Open winner Henrik Stenson is a further shot behind.