Jason Day is making an early push towards world No.1 Rory McIlroy’s clubhouse lead but world No.2 Adam Scott is heading towards a missed cut midway through a wet second round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.

McIlroy, winner of the British Open and World Golf Championship’s Bridgestone Invitational at his past two starts, carded a four-under 67 to push out to nine under par and a two-stroke clubhouse lead from American Ryan Palmer (70).

Overnight co-leader Lee Westwood is also at seven under through six holes of his second round and American veteran Jim Furyk is also tied second, two under on his first four holes Friday.

“I scored well today. It wasn’t quite as pretty as it was yesterday but I played well for the most part,” McIlroy said.

“Mentally I’m in a really solid place in terms of not getting ahead of myself on the golf course.”

World No.9 Day had two early birdies in his second round to move to four under for the championship through six holes, currently tied 10th just five behind.

He knocked a 17-foot birdie putt in on the second and then hit a lovely wedge to five feet on the fourth before converting with his putter.

Scott opened with four pars but back-to-back bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes put the former world No.1 at two over for the championship, one shot outside the current cut line.

Scott is the only player to have made the cut in every major of the past three years but his streak is in danger.

Matt Jones posted an even par round of 71 to stay three under, extending his stay at Valhalla into the weekend, as did Geoff Ogilvy (71) at two under.

“It was tough conditions out there but I am happy to have positioned myself for the weekend,” Jones said.

“If it stays this wet ,though, I need to find a way to hit the ball another 30 yards off the tee.”

Marc Leishman, like Scott, is facing a battle to make the cut after he made an early double bogey to sit at two over.

Club pro Stuart Deane’s dreams of making the cut were dashed after he finished at four over but he did well to shoot 71 in round two.

Steven Bowditch joined Deane at four over and John Senden (+7) will also go home early.