drive into the right field corner that skipped away from Suzu

HOYLAKE, England -- Rory McIlroy only saw birdies at Royal Liverpool, mostly on his scorecard, and even one pheasant that trotted across the eighth green as he was lining up a putt. That was but a minor interruption in his command performance Friday in the British Open. Once he made a birdie, and then another, nothing could stop McIlroy. Not another collapse in the second round. Not anyone in the field. And certainly not Tiger Woods. After a bogey on his opening hole stirred memories of another "Black Friday," McIlroy looked more like the Boy Wonder who won two majors in a runaway. With three birdies in his last four holes, he posted a second straight 6-under 66 to build a four-shot lead over Dustin Johnson. McIlroy spoke of an "inner peace," and the two secret words that triggered his powerful swing and set up birdie chances on just about every hole. "People call it the zone, people call it whatever," he said. "Its just a state of mind where you think clearly. Everything seems to be on the right track. Ive always said, whenever you play this well, you always wonder how youve played so badly before. And whenever youve played so badly, you always wonder how you play so well. Im happy where my game is at the minute. And hopefully, I can just keep up the solid play for another couple of days." Woods is fortunate to even play for two more days. He started the second round only three shots behind. He finished it on the 18th hole, standing over a 6-foot birdie putt just to avoid missing back-to-back cuts for the first time in his career. Woods made the putt for a 77, matching his second-worst round as a pro in the British Open. Woods hit driver five times -- four more than he hit all week when he won at Royal Liverpool in 2006. None found the fairway. Woods was 14 shots out of the lead and still thought he had a chance, referring to Paul Lawrie making up 10 shots in one round to win at Carnoustie in 1999. That was against Jean Van de Velde. This is Rory McIlroy, who has won both his majors by eight shots. "Two 66s from Rory is a bit special, but he is just that -- he is a bit special," Graeme McDowell said. "So hes going to be tough to catch this weekend if he keeps that up." McIlroy was at 12-under 132 -- the same 36-hole score of Woods in 2006. Dustin Johnson birdied the last two holes for a 65, the low score of the week. That ordinarily would put him in the last group with McIlroy, except they will have company in a historic decision at golfs oldest championship. Because of a nasty storm approaching England, the Open will go to threesomes teeing off on both sides Saturday. Francesco Molinari (70) will join them. He was part of a large group at 6-under 138 that included Rickie Fowler (69), Sergio Garcia (70), Charl Schwartzel (67), Louis Oosthuizen (68) and Ryan Moore (68). David Hearn (73) of Brantford, Ont., is tied for 24th at 1-under par, while Graham DeLaet (76) of Weyburn, Sask., missed the cut. Johnson had a chance at the claret jug three years ago until a 2-iron that went out-of-bounds on the 14th hole at Royal St. Georges. He also lost a three-shot lead in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and missed out on a playoff at Whistling Straits for grounding his club in sand at the 2010 PGA Championship. "Im glad and Im in the last group," Johnson said. "Just go out there and try to shoot a big number." Four shots can be lost quickly in any major, especially in links golf, particularly in nasty weather. McIlroy followed up a record-tying 63 at St. Andrews in 2010 with an 80 the following day. Even so, the ease with which he moved around Royal Liverpool was more frightening than any forecast. McIlroy picked up his first birdie with two putts from across the green on the par-5 fifth. But it was on the par-3 sixth, when McIlroy deposited an 8-iron to 7 feet for birdie, that he found that peace and put the pedal down on the rest of the field. He ushered the pheasant off the eighth green, regrouped and holed a 7-foot birdie putt, chipped to tap-in range on the 10th and then kept giving himself chances on all but one hole until ending with three birdies. McIlroy was in such a groove that with the wind at his back, he hit driver 396 yards on the 17th hole and pitched to 8 feet. It was only Friday -- a fantastic one, not a freaky one -- but the kid looked like he was going for a knockout. "Once I got to 7 (under), I felt like, OK, this time I feel good. I can get to 8. I can get to 8, 9, 10, 11, 12." The 17th hole is where Woods fell apart. He started double bogey-bogey and made only pars the rest of the way until his tee shot on the 17th was about 100 yards short and 50 yards wider than McIlroys drive. Hanging his head, Woods was walking down the fairway when he was told it was out of bounds. Back at the tee, he hooked that shot closer to the 16th fairway and made triple bogey. A birdie enabled him to make the cut, a small consolation considering what McIlroy is doing. "Its not a surprise. Hes done this before," Woods said. "Once he gets going, he can make a lot of birdies and he plays pretty aggressively to begin with. And when hes going, he can get it going pretty good." As for those two secret words that keep McIlroy locked into what hes doing? "Ill tell you on Sunday, hopefully," he said. Christian Vazquez Jersey .Steamboat Ski Resort contends Steamboat Springs, Colorado has long been known as Ski Town, U.S.A., and claims in a new lawsuit that Salt Lake tourism officials violated their trademark when they rolled out the Ski City marketing campaign last month. Craig Kimbrel Jersey . In a pregame tribute commemorating his final contest at Coors Field on Wednesday night, Helton caught the ceremonial first pitch from his daughter with his wife, younger daughter and good friend Peyton Manning watching from the field. http://www.theredsoxteamshop.com/Red-Sox-Roger-Clemens-Kids-Jersey/ . There was little fanfare, though, when the Yankees captain was taken out of his final regular-season Subway Series game in the eighth inning. Jeter watched the last four outs from the bench, pulled off the field during a double switch Thursday night as the Yankees held off the Mets 1-0. Pedro Martinez Jersey . The redshirt freshman finished the regular season with nearly 3,500 passing yards, and 35 touchdowns with another three on the ground while leading the Seminoles to the top of the BCS Rankings. Mookie Betts Jersey . - Mike Zimmer has brought a demanding style to the Minnesota Vikings. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jered Weaver bounded off the field shouting and pumping his fist after quashing a base-loaded jam with no outs in the top of the eighth inning. He was pretty excited in the bottom half, too, as he watched his teammates walk around the bases. The Angels scored three runs on five straight walks in the eighth after Weaver escaped a based-loaded jam with no outs in the top half, and they hung on to beat the New York Yankees 4-1 on Monday night. "I showed a little emotion there," Weaver said. "Obviously getting out of a jam. ... I got pretty hyped. Then it came down to a couple walks with the bases loaded. Great job by the guys for battling." Yankees relievers Shawn Kelley (0-2), Matt Thornton and Preston Claiborne walked six overall in the eighth, the most walks in an inning by New York since 1990. The wild display came after manager Joe Girardi was ejected by plate umpire Laz Diaz for arguing a strike call in the top of the inning and engaging Diaz in a heated argument. Weaver (3-2) allowed a run and six hits in eight innings, struck out seven and walked one. The right-hander bounded off the mound pumping his fist and shouting in excitement after getting Derek Jeter to ground into an inning-ending double play in the eighth. The Angels loaded the bases against Kelley with three walks, including a two-out intentional pass to Albert Pujols that preceded a base on balls to pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez. Collin Cowgill scored on a walk to Howie Kendrick and Kelley was replaced by Thornton. Kelley was tossed by Diaz on his way to the dugout. Thornton then walked Ian Stewart to force in another run, and Claiborne did likewise to Chris Iannetta. "I didnt attack the zone and do what I normally do, and it cost me," Kelley said. "Im not going to say anything about the strike zone. I made a lot of bad pitches, so its on me." The Yankees loaded the bases in the top of the eighth on singles by Kelly Johnson and Brian Roberts and a bunt hit by Ichiro Suzuki. Girardi was tossed after questioning a 1-0 pitch to Brett Gardner from the dugout, then came on the field and continued his rant. "When you have a 1-0 count and the next pitchh is called 1-1, it changes the whole at-bat.dddddddddddd. It was the biggest pitch of the game to that point. I mentioned to Laz in a respectful way earlier in the game that I thought a pitch to Kelly Johnson and he gave me the Mutombo," Girardi said, wagging his finger. "And I dont appreciate that. Im not a little kid and I dont need to be scolded." Gardner then struck out and Jeter grounded into a 4-6-3 double play on Weavers next offering. Ernesto Frieri pitched a perfect ninth for his third save in five chances. Yankees right-hander David Phelps allowed a run and three hits over 5 1-3 innings with three strikeouts and a walk. It was his 24th career start and first since July 4, 2013. Phelps made his first nine appearances this season out of the bullpen, but was inserted into the rotation because of Michael Pinedas 10-game suspension for having a foreign substance on his neck during a game at Boston on April 23. Phelps matched zeroes with Weaver through four innings before Kendrick led off the Angels fifth with a drive into the right field corner that skipped away from Suzuki for a triple. Stewart delivered the run with a slow-hit grounder to third base, and Johnsons only play was to first. The only hit Weaver allowed during the first six innings was a leadoff single in the fourth by Jeter, ending an 0-for-14 drought for the Yankees captain. "Youve got to tip your cap to Weaver. He threw an incredible game," Phelps said. "You go against a teams ace, thats going to happen sometimes." Jeter doubled inside third base on Weavers first pitch in the seventh, advanced on Jacoby Ellsburys groundout and scored the tying run on a single by former Angel Mark Teixeira. NOTES: Reggie Jackson got together with Pujols, the newest member of the 500-homer club, while the Yankees were taking batting practice. The 67-year-old Hall of Famer, currently a special adviser in the Yanks baseball operations department, hit his 500th home run at the "Big A " Sept. 17, 1984, while playing for the Angels. ... Yankees C Brian McCann was the MVP of the 2010 All-Star game in Anaheim, representing the Atlanta Braves and hitting a three-run double that decided the outcome for the NL. ' ' '