. In a BPL season which continues to shock, and will do so until mi

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Golf is starting to feel easy again for Rory McIlroy, who bounced back from a sloppy start Friday in the Honda Classic for a 4-under 66 that gave him his first 36-hole lead on the PGA Tour in 18 months. Tiger Woods is making it look hard. McIlroy recovered from two early bogeys by running off six birdies in a 10-hole stretch. He looked solid from tee-to-green, hit putts with growing confidence and wound up with a one-shot lead over Brendon de Jonge. "I knew that with the way Im playing and the confidence in my ability, I would be able to get those shots back," McIlroy said. "I didnt panic. I didnt try to do anything different. Just tried to keep playing the way I was." He was at 11-under 129. Woods felt fortunate to still be playing. He was over the cut line after scrambling for a bogey on the 11th hole and wound up with a 69 to make the cut on the number. Woods hit only two greens over his last nine holes. His lone birdie on the back nine was a chip-in on the 13th after he missed the green with a wedge. "It was a grind, theres no doubt about it," Woods said. "I didnt hit it very good. Just one of those days where I fought out a number, which was good." Because 79 players made the cut, there will be another cut to top 70 and ties on Saturday. Woods missed the 54-hole cut the last time he played on the PGA Tour at Torrey Pines. David Hearn (70) of Brantford, Ont., is tied for 23rd at 3 under. Mike Weir of Brights Grove, Ont., did not make the cut after shooting a 72 and a 70. Calgarys Stephen Ames was also out after a 73 and a 75. And at least hes still playing the weekend. That wasnt the case for Phil Mickelson. Playing the Honda Classic for the first time in 12 years, he had a 71 to miss the cut. So did Henrik Stenson, the No. 3 player in the world, with rounds of 73-76. McIlroy knew the feeling a year ago, when he took a steep fall from No. 1 in the world while changing equipment and trying to live up to high expectations, leading to his snap decision to walk off the course after 26 holes last year at the Honda Classic. A growing gallery in warm sunshine at PGA National saw a familiar game -- the McIlroy who won the Honda Classic two years ago. Swinging freely and putting beautifully, McIlroy hit his stride on his back nine with four birdies in five holes, including the par-5 third when he smashed a drive some 35 yards past Adam Scott and had only a 6-iron into the green on the 539-yard hole. De Jonge, who has never won on the PGA Tour, played early in the afternoon when the wind picked up and put eight birdies on his card in a 64. He was tied for the lead when he missed the green with a wedge on No. 9 and made bogey. Even so, hell be in the last group Saturday with McIlroy. "I think I might have got a little bit of switch in the wind," de Jonge said. Russell Henley had a 68 and was three shots behind. Russell Knox of Scotland had the low round Friday at 63 and was four shots back along with Lee Westwood (65). But the focus is clearly on McIlroy, who each week looks to be getting better. "This year is obviously a lot different," McIlroy said. "Got off to a good start. Im confident. Im playing well. This is the second straight tournament Ive opened with a 63, so if I can keep building on these good starts, then hopefully I can start converting." After a 63 in Dubai, he said he was pressing too much in the final round and wound up in a tie for ninth. Friday was another step in the right direction, despite two errant tee shots on the 11th and 12th holes that led to bogeys. His round changed with a tee shot into 6 feet on the 16th hole for a birdie, and then a 12-foot birdie on the 18th to wrap up his front nine and earn back the two shots he had dropped. After a 45-foot birdie attempt on the second hole rimmed all the way around and out of the cup, Boy Wonder took off. He two-putted the par-5 third. He hit a wedge into 4 feet on the next hole. He rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt down the hill at the par-5 fifth. Then, after a tough par save on the sixth, he sank another 30-foot birdie putt that McIlroy made look routine. The gallery is kept 100 yards from the green, so the only applause came from a few marshals. It sounded like a tap-in for par. McIlroy reacted that way, too. "Watching Rory play is amazing when hes swinging like this," Scott said after his own great recovery. The Masters champ put shots in the water on the 16th and 17th holes, both times making double bogey, and it looked as though his return to golf after a six-week break would be a short one. But the Australian ran off four birdies on the front nine for a 70. It will take a lot more to catch McIlroy, who has taken only 49 putts through two rounds. "Thats probably the lowest putting total after 36 Ive probably had, maybe in my career," he said. "So its obviously going in the right direction." Dave Kingman Cubs Jersey .com) - Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been selected as the NHLs Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Friday. David Phelps Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. https://www.cheapcubs.com/1190t-javier-baez-jersey-cubs.html . At 11:06 of the first period, Neal struck Marchand with his knee when Marchand was down on the ice. Marchand remained in the game. Neal was assessed a kneeing penalty for his hit on Marchand. Pedro Strop Cubs Jersey . The Oilers jumped into the free agent market early by signing defencemen Keith Aulie (six-foot-six, 228 pounds) and Mark Fayne (6-3, 210 pounds) and left-winger Benoit Pouliot (6-3, 197-pounds). Two days earlier MacTavish traded lightweight forward Sam Gagner to Tampa Bay for 6-3, 203-pound right winger Ted Purcell. Ian Happ Jersey . In the opening game of his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open, the owner of 17 major titles got passed at the net twice, sailed a backhand long, then missed two forehands to get broken.As Manchester United, like Arsenal and Manchester City before them were humbled on the European stage in midweek, the infernal debate about what the best league in Europe rages on. Even Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger felt the urge to discuss the matter during his pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrows visit to Stoke. Anointing the BPL the best, Wenger trotted out the top to bottom competiveness theory. What cant be denied though is that English football is never too far away from grabbing the football headlines. This weeks offering began with a slip of the Mourinho lips. Then we had the national manager waxing lyrical about the possibility of adding a Penalty Psychologist to his Brazil bound backroom staff and how about this mornings revelation Sir Alex Ferguson attributes six of the best as a school boy influenced his managerial ways. Mourinho was clearly agitated and embarrassed when he faced the media Tuesday following the publication less than 24 hours earlier of disparaging remarks he made about Torres, Etoo and Demba Ba to a senior executive of a club partner. Unbeknown to Mourinho, what he thought was a private conversation ahead of a scheduled interview, was in fact been taped by a French TV channel. Who in turn published it for the world to see on their website. Using the old adage the best form of defense is attack, The Happy One launched into the media labeling them a disgrace for publishing extracts of that conversation - which included mocking Etoo and wondering out loud if he was actually older than his stated age. Torres had the last laugh though by responding to his managers harsh words in the most effective way possible by putting Chelsea up early in Wednesdays first leg against Galatasaray. It was no laughing matter not long after the final whistle in Istanbul when Chelsea revealed the club would be immortalized on the small screen in an upcoming edition of the Simpsons. In which a number of players, including Torres will feature in an episode where Bart Simpson plays referee. The week for Torres though didnt end on a happy note. We learnt earlier today and long with Manchester Uniteds Juan Mata both players had been omitted from Spains squad for next weeks prestigious friendly match against the 2006 World Cup winners, Italy. Roy Hodgson who named Toronto FCs Jermaine Defoe in his squad for the March 5 friendly at Wembley versus Denmark yesterday, made news earlier in the week when addressing England penalty woes at tournaments. The England manager, along with all other managers of the 32 nations going to this summers World Cup Finals, has just returned from visiting Brazil let it be known earlier in the week he is giving serious thought to having a psychologist at his disposal as ways to improve on Englands inability to win penalty shootouts. Hodgson experienced penalty misery first hand at Euro 2012 when Italy eliminated England in the quarter finals but certainly does not want to suffer that same fate for a team that has bowed out on penalties in six of the last 10 major tournaments they have qualifiied for.dddddddddddd One of world footballs most dubious of records only once over this period have England progressed from the Achilles Heel of a penalty shootout. This occurring when they edged out Spain at EURO 96 - only then to fail at the next hurdle, Germany beating England on penalties in the semifinal. Hodgson isnt the first England World Cup manager to make the headlines for matters of the mind. As part of final preparations for the 1998 Finals the-then England manager Glen Hoddle arranged for a faith healer to visit the England camp before their departure to France. Such were part of Hoddles unorthodox methods, the ex-Manchester United captain Gary Neville revealed in his 2011 autobiography Hoddle had requested his staff walk around the pitch anti-clockwise as ways to create positive energy before their round of 16 match against Argentina. A match won, by you guessed it, Argentina on penalties. Paired in a group this summer with Uruguay and Italy my how the legions of England fans who will journey to Brazil would dearly love to face the possibility of a penalty shootout. At least this would signify England had successfully made it out of a difficult group. Sir Alex Ferguson who tasted penalty glory himself in the 2008 Champions League Final made it on to the back pages today when it was revealed in the London Times that as a school boy he often found himself in trouble. Not only that, but Ferguson disclosed he felt the corporal punishment he received because of his bad boy ways went a long way to helping shape his hair dryer ways. He also revealed the belt which was used now hangs proudly on the wall of his study at home. With Manchester United not in action this weekend as their scheduled opponent, Manchester City play Sunderland in Sundays League Cup Final, perhaps it might be an idea if Ferguson invites David Moyes over for a cup of tea. In a BPL season which continues to shock, and will do so until mid May, tomorrows action throws up potential banana skins for each of the clubs who currently sit in the Champions League slots. The West London derby sees the current leaders Chelsea, paying a visit to the worst club, Fulham who are desperate for a win. Especially so after coughing up an 86th minute equalizer away to West Brom last Saturday, welcome to the BPL Felix Magath. Arsenal, with a well-rested Mezut Ozil expected to return following his own penalty demons, are sure to be weary of Stokes direct approach. While Liverpool wont need reminding of their early season 0-1 reversal at home to Southampton - result which knocked them off the top spot. Even though his club arent playing, whats the odds occasional Manchester United bad boy Wayne Rooney does not feature prominently come Sundays tabloid headlines? You can reach and follow Noel Butler at:Noel.Butler@BellMedia.ca@TheSoccerNoel TSN & TEAM Radio is your exclusive BPL radio home this season. Saturdays double header action features, Fulham v Chelsea with kickoff at 10am et/7am pt and Southampton v Liverpool with kickoff 12:30pm et/9:30am pt ' ' '