CRANS MONTANA, Switzerland -- Rory McIlroy shot an even-par 71 Friday to share the lead with defending champion Brett Rumford after the second round of the Omega European Masters, where American teen Tadd Fujikawa missed the cut.

Fujikawa had a poor start for the second straight day with bogeys at his first three holes before recovering to shoot a 72 and finish at 3-over 145, three strokes above the cut.

"Small mistakes cost me the cut. You can't do that on any tour," the 17-year-old Fujikawa said. "I had a lot of chances but I couldn't make anything."

The 17-year-old has struggled since turning pro last summer. He made history as a 16-year-old at the Sony Open in January 2007, when he became the youngest player in 50 years to make the cut on the PGA Tour.

McIlroy, a 19-year-old Northern Irishman, could not reproduce his opening 63, and Rumford caught him with a second straight 67 to finish the day at 8-under 134.

They were one stroke ahead of Juan Abbate and Jean-Francois Lucquin (both 67), and Alejandro Canizares (68). Peter Lawrie (69) was two strokes behind, with Fredrik Andersson Hed and Simon Dyson (both 67).

Miguel Angel Jimenez (69), the only member of Europe's Ryder Cup team in the field, was a further stroke behind, level with eight others.

The sun returned to Crans-sur-Sierre on Friday after Thursday's intermittent rain.

"It was more like Wednesday's pro-am," Rumford said.

Even so, there was still a stiff wind and some tough pin positions.

"Some of the pins were extremely tricky and it was difficult to get to them," McIlroy said. "On those holes, you just had to take your par and go to the next. It really tests your patience.

"My iron play was not quite as good yesterday, but I holed a lot of good par putts to keep myself going," McIlroy added.

One of them was at the 236-yard, par-3 16th, where he made a 12-footer to save par. He sank a 15-footer at the next and a 10-footer at the last after getting a free drop when his second shot ended up against the base of the grandstand.

Rumford, who is on the PGA Tour this year, played steady golf on a course he described as being unlike anywhere else.

"This is a very unique place and golf course," he said.

McIlroy no longer leads on his own, but he still has a great chance to become the youngest winner on the European Tour since Seve Ballesteros won the first of his record 50 titles.

McIlroy's first year on the circuit has taken him to Hong Kong, Australia, South Africa, the Middle East, Malaysia, Korea and China, but closer to home is where he has done his best work so far.

After his lowest round as a pro -- by three -- in the opening round, it was inevitable he could not completely switch off back at his hotel, where he ended up watching American football deep into the night.

"I just want to take it one step at a time, but I caught myself thinking about it last night and put the tennis on to take my mind off it," he said. "Then I had to get up for a drink at about 4:00 a.m. and the New York Giants were playing the Washington Redskins, so I watched a bit of that."

He was prepared for the fact that he could not reproduce his opening day fireworks.

"It's always difficult to follow up such a low round with another one. I've learnt that before. You rarely see someone shoot 63-64, so that 71 was a pretty good effort."

He would be the third-youngest winner in Tour history if he does take the first prize, just five days older than Ballesteros was at the 1976 Dutch Open.

Dale Hayes holds the record, with the South African aged only 18 when he lifted the 1971 Spanish Open.

Rumford could also be linked to Ballesteros on Sunday. The Spanish star was the last player to make a successful defense of the European Masters title in 1978. The 31-year-old from Perth is playing only his second European Tour event this year.

"There is absolutely nothing not to like about America and there is nothing I have found which has made me say I want to come back to Europe," he said. "That said, Europe is a fantastic Tour as well. They both offer different things."

Finland's Mikko Ilonen took over top spot in the afternoon, but bogeyed four of his last five holes to go back to 5 under and into a group that also includes Jimenez.

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