Rory McIlroy conceded that the possibility of a second Stonehaven Cup is potentially out of reach after finding himself nine shots adrift of the lead at the Australian Open. 

McIlroy carded a second-round three-under 68 to finish just inside the cut line, holing back-to-back birdies late on to head into the final day of action at five under par. 

The Northern Irishman started his round strongly, making a birdie and eight pars on the front nine before making four more pars on his back to the clubhouse at Royal Melbourne.

But birdies at 15, 17 and 18 helped him make the cut and climb steadily up the leaderboard, though he is some way back from Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen. 

Neergaard-Petersen, who also made birdie putts on 17 and 18, registered a five-under 66 to sit at 14 under for the tournament.

Cam Smith, the 2022 British Open champion who ended his streak of missing seven consecutive cuts this year on Friday, shot 66 and is tied with Si Woo Kim for second place, with the pair two strokes behind. 

McIlroy, however, believes that challenging for the title could be tough, but he did not rule out a late charge if he can start his third round with a flurry. 

"I didn't get off to a great start, but I played well from there," said McIlroy, who made five birdies on his final 10 holes Saturday.

"I am probably going to be too far behind to challenge tomorrow.

"But I'd love the course to keep getting firmer and firmer. And if it does, I think I could go out there and shoot something very low, eight or nine under."

That leaderboard is loaded #AusOpenGolf | #CrownAusOpen pic.twitter.com/vUD4wwUj0m

— Australian Open (@AusOpenGolf) December 6, 2025

But one of the more bizarre moments of McIlroy's round came on the par-four second when he missed the fairway and saw his ball land on some long grass in the rough. 

His shot saw his ball land under a banana peel which had apparently been thrown away by a spectator.

Golfers are allowed to move loose impediments as long as the player's ball doesn't move in the process, but if the ball had shifted as a result of trying to move a loose item, the player incurs a penalty.

McIlroy attempted to hit his ball through the banana peel back on to the fairway, but after it only travelled a short distance, he ended up making a double-bogey six.

"It was sort of a double whammy – it was in the tough grass, and under a banana skin," McIlroy said. "But I shouldn't have been there in the first place."