Luke Donald ducks chance to top the bill

After making the halfway cut with nothing to spare at four over par - a massive 15 strokes behind runaway leader McIlroy - the world No.1's hopes of at least continuing his top-ten streak were nose-diving.

American Webb Simpson showed that good scoring was possible after yet more overnight rain, making five birdies in seven holes from fourth to move from joint 56th into a tie for eighth. But Donald, who has been in the top ten in his last ten events going back to mid-February, two-putted every green on the front nine except the 470-yard fourth, where he got up and down from sand to salvage his four.

On the first of the two outward par fives, the 555-yard sixth, a drive into another bunker denied him the chance to go for the green in two, while on the downwind 636-yard ninth he failed to make the carry over the big deep and failed to get up and down.

McIlroy had finished his second-round 66 at lunchtime on Friday, but much though he would have liked to get going quickly, times were put back because the second round did not finish until yesterday morning after two storm delays.

The 22-year-old was due to tee off last night on an 11-under 131, a record 36-hole score at the US Open. He had a six-shot lead on YE Yang, which matches a US Open for the biggest advantage at the halfway point. Tiger Woods was up six at Pebble Beach en route to his 15-stroke victory at the 2000 US Open.

Some were saying McIlroy's performance, at least after two rounds, was every bit as impressive as Woods' in 2000.

McIlroy would have been ahead by more had he not slipped up on the 18th hole Friday, hitting his drive left, then losing control of the recovery shot and knocking that into the water. He ended up with double bogey. It may have offered a ray of hope - but only a small one - to the 71 players who returned for the weekend to chase him. "It's only two days," said Zach Johnson, who at 2-under par was in a five-way tie for third place. "I'm not going to give it to him yet."

McIlroy's best shot in the second round was the approach on the eighth that landed on the back of the green, bounced twice, spun backward and rolled into the cup for an eagle.

"We figured it was probably him just the way he was going," said Steve Stricker, who heard the roar from the ninth tee box.

Meanwhile, Martin Laird admitted that a lack of practice cost him dear as he and fellow Scot Stephen Gallacher missed the cut by a stroke.

Laird, 28, who had been attending a family birthday celebration in Europe, said: "I'm very disappointed. You can't turn up at a US Open without practising. And, for three or four weeks away from tournaments, I've not really hit a ball.

"To be honest, I've not really practised in the last month, with lots of off-the-course commitments, which have been great too. I missed the cut at Memorial, so I hadn't played since Friday the previous week. Then I only hit balls for 45 minutes on Thursday - that was all I had done until I came here on Monday.

"I am very disappointed. I feel like this golf course does suit me, but if you are not hitting your irons good round here, it is just going to get you."

He added: "I am going to go and work hard in the next couple of weeks before I come back for the Scottish Open and the Open."