Rory McIlroy spectacularly birdied the 18th to keep his medal hopes alive in the Men’s Olympic Competition in Paris.
The world number three raced to the turn in three-under 33 as he eagled the third — hitting the pin with a long iron from 260 yards — then sandwiched a bogey at the eighth between birdies at the fifth and ninth.
He stalled with a bogey at the 10th, failed to birdie the par-five 14th and then followed a birdie two at the 16th with a double bogey at the 17th, where he had to take a penalty drop in the rough.
But he finished impressively, finding the fairway with a three wood before ripping a towering 190-yard approach to five feet to set up a closing birdie.
It all added up to a two-under 69 for McIlroy, who was just a shot outside the top 10 on five-under but six shots behind leaders Hideki Matsuyama, Xander Shauffele and Tommy Fleetwood in a tie for 13th.
Reigning Olympic champion Schauffle set the target at 11-under when he added a five-under 66 to his opening 65.
He was overtaken by first-round leader Matsuyama and Fleetwood until both men made mistakes at the dangerous 18th.
Matsuyama found water with his third and had to make a 13-footer for a double bogey six and a 68, while Fleetwood made his lone bogey of the day in a 64.
The leading trio were two strokes clear of Spain’s Jon Rahm, who shot 66, on 11-under.
“A few too many mistakes,” McIlroy said. “Sort of similar story to yesterday. You know, making the good swings and making enough birdies and another eagle today.
“But yeah, just offset by a few too many mistakes over the first couple of days.”
He added: “I just felt like I played better than what the score suggested. Obviously I got punished for an errant tee shot on 17. Loose wedge shot on 10. But apart from that, I felt like it was pretty good.”
Shane Lowry lamented a cold putter as a second successive 71 left him 11 shots off the pace, provisionally tied for 35th on level par.
“I gave myself a lot of chances, but my putter was cold, and the leaders are flying away,” Lowry said.
“I’ve probably given myself way too much to do, so I’m playing for pride this weekend now.
“I’ll go away this afternoon and reflect on the last two days. Then, I’ll give it a go over the next two days and try to get myself as far up the leaderboard as I can.”