Rory McIlroy puts PGA Tour LIV Golf deal aside, looks for history at RBC Canadian Open

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Rory McIlroy is showing that he knows how to focus and put the current task at hand to the forefront with a fantastic round Friday.

Rory McIlroy is looking to make history at Oakdale Golf & Country Club. He enters the weekend in contention at the RBC Canadian Open, looking to become the first man ever to win this event three straight years, per PGATour.com.

It’s impressive what he has done this week, especially considering all that has surrounded him.

McIlroy has been one of the central figures involved with the massive division within the sport of golf between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. Over the last couple of years, he has been arguably the most vocal members of the tour to speak out against LIV.

Following the bombshell news that the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia were going to merge, McIlroy even acknowledged he felt like a “sacrificial lamb.”

Despite that, the Northern Irishman has found a way to put all that noise out of his mind. After shooting an opening-round 71, McIlroy followed that up Friday with a 5-under 67.

He was incredibly consistent, logging five birdies without carding a single bogey on his round. McIlroy’s tee shot was the biggest difference, as he improved from 99th to second off the tee Friday.

His performance vaulted him up the leaderboard into a tie for 12th place, but only three shots off the lead. He is clearly content with where he is.

“Three back going into the weekend – I’m pretty pleased with that,” McIlroy said after his round Friday.

Carl Yuan sits atop the board at 9-under par entering the weekend.

McIlroy has seemingly found his game at the right time. He has finished inside the top 10 in each of his last two tournaments. It might just be the perfect timing, too, with the U.S. Open on tap in Los Angeles next week.