Rory McIlroy responds after talking to from JP

"What the f*** are you doing?" was the blunt message delivered by JP Fitzgerald, which had stirred him into a spirited revival on the first day.

Kuchar was back to his overnight score through 10 holes, surely feeling a level-par second round would do nicely given the tricky conditions. In fact, he would play his next 24 frames in 7 under before returning to earth with a pair of bogeys on Friday. His pep talk was simple and, it must be said, perfect.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy reacts to a missed putt during the third round of the British Open Golf Championship, at Royal Birkdale, Southport, England, Saturday July 22, 2017.

Although prone to short bouts of relatively pedestrian play in his career, this recent swoon has somehow felt different.

In April, he married his longtime girlfriend Erica Stoll, a life-changing moment that was understandably celebrated, but a change nonetheless.

"Just walking from greens to tees was pretty special with huge galleries really pulling for me".

"It's nearly there, but still just a few sloppy swings", McIlroy added.

Perhaps more than any other modern player, McIlroy is keenly adept at taking the long view.

There were big question marks surrounding McIlroy's form coming into the championship after he failed to make the cut on the links at either the Irish Open or the Scottish Open in the build-up to this week. So I kept a good, positive attitude and it turned around for me.

GETTYRory McIlroy's last major trophy was the PGA Championship in 2014

McIlroy will be among the early starters on Friday's second round, and with heavy rain forecast for later in the day, this could be advantageous.

"I hope to play a good quality round in the morning and get into the clubhouse even or under par and I'll still be in the hunt for the weekend". I've probably just not got as much belief in myself as I should have had.

But if Fitzgerald's tough love was the turning point, it may be McIlroy's own internal dialogue that saved his title chances.

"Whatever", replied McIlroy, who had bogeyed four of his first five holes and was about to drop another shot at No. 6. 10, 11, 12 and 14. "They're the putts that haven't quite been going in over the past few weeks". 'I'm very happy. I like the course, it suits my game.

With designs on a second Claret Jug and a fifth career Major, McIlroy has ironed out numerous problems which plagued him in recent tournaments.

"You're Rory McIlroy", he told him. Yet as is often the case in professional golf, performance and confidence are not mutually exclusive.

"I got off to a good start, which I think is important", added McIlroy, who rejected suggestions he had shown great strength of character to get into the position he is.

McIlroy acknowledged he took the wrong club off the tee, pulling a 3-iron into a pot bunker even though he knew he could eliminate the traps with a 1-iron or lay up with a 4-iron.