Rory McIlroy was outside the cut after a disaster in the bushes on the 14th. He revived his tournament in supreme fashion

For a brief period of time on day two of the Australian Open, after Rory McIlroy took an air swing in the bushes on the 14th hole and suffered a bogey, the superstar Northern Irishman was outside the cut.

He revived his tournament in sublime fashion, shooting a birdie, a par and another two birdies to card a 68 and scrape through.

McIlroy, the reigning US Masters champion, reached the halfway point of the Australian Open at 2-under par to be tied for 28th with a string of others.

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"It was nice to bounce back ... and play like I did the last few holes," a relieved McIlroy said.

Sharing the lead after the second round are Portugal's Daniel Rodrigues and Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen at 9-under par. They shot a 64 and a 66 respectively on Thursday.

Australia's Min Woo Lee is sitting third at -8 after shooting a 65, while fellow Australians Cameron Smith and Adam Scott are tied for fourth with Mexico's Carlos Ortiz at -7. As Smith carded a 65 and Scott a 66, Ortiz slumped to a 70.

McIlroy faced the prospect of being bundled out at the cut at Royal Melbourne after he took a swing in the bushes on the 14th and missed the ball by several metres.

The five-time major champion collected a branch during his backswing and it threw him right off, costing him a shot.

"I felt like I could get in there really low ... and just flick a little four iron and get it back into play, and on the way down caught a branch and obviously just completely went over the ball," McIlroy recalled with a grin.

"I honestly can't remember the last time I had a fresh-air.

"Not one of my finer moments."

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Among the phenomenal shots over the remainder of his round was a shot from off the fairway on the 17th.

Hitting from 224 metres out, he smoked the ball, brushed the leaves of some virtually unavoidable trees, had the ball shape from left to right, and found the green.

A lively crowd showed their appreciation for the wonderful shot, responding with claps and cheers.

McIlroy then two-putted to birdie the par-5 hole.

"I rode my luck there a little bit but it worked out, it came off and it was a nice two-putt birdie to give myself a little cushion going into the last," McIlroy said with a chuckle.

The 36-year-old recorded 13 pars, four birdies and a bogey.

He believes he can still mount a strong challenge for the title from seven shots behind the leaders with two rounds to go.

"Seven isn't too far back," McIlroy said.

"I feel like if I can go in tomorrow morning and shoot a good one I can get myself right back in the tournament."

Lee shot 13 pars, four birdies and, in one of the moments of the day, an eagle on the 10th.

The cult hero found the hole with a fairway shot from 176 metres out, putting the crowd in raptures.

Australian rising star Elvis Smylie finished round one with a three-way share of the lead but struggled in the second round, shooting a 72 to be tied for 14th at -5.