DUBLIN, Ohio -- Rory McIlroy matched Tiger Woods on Friday in an area where being compared is not a good thing: missed cuts on the PGA Tour.

For the third straight tournament, McIlroy failed to make the 36-hole cut, shooting a 7-over 79 in the second round of the Memorial at Muirfield Village Golf Club.

The missed cut was his eighth on the PGA Tour since turning pro in 2007. That matches the total number of cuts Woods has missed in 16 years dating to 1996.

Meanwhile, Woods moved into contention at the Memorial, a tournament he has won four times, the last in 2009.

Woods shot a 3-under 69 during the weather-delayed second round and trails leader Rory Sabbatini by 1 stroke.

Sabbatini played bogey-free over his final 12 holes, and despite missing a 5-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, put together a 3-under 69.

Woods is tied for second with Spencer Levin (72) and Scott Stallings (73).

"I hit the ball well all day," Woods said. "It was a day that I needed to. The wind was blowing out there, was swirling in those trees, and it was just a tough day. ... I figured anything under par was going to be a good score, and I was able to post something in the 60s."

A victory here would be Woods' 73rd on the PGA Tour, tying him with tournament host Jack Nicklaus for second, nine behind Sam Snead.

"We've got a long way to go," Woods said. "Obviously, that would be nice. But we've still got a half a golf tournament to play."

McIlroy, 23, finds himself in a funk with his U.S. Open title defense looming in two weeks at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.

After failing to finish no worse than fifth in any worldwide tournament leading into the Masters -- including a victory at the Honda Classic in March that moved him to No. 1 in the world for the first time -- McIlroy tied for 40th at the Masters.

He then rebounded at the Wells Fargo Championship last month, when he lost in a playoff to Rickie Fowler. A week later, he missed his third straight cut at The Players Championship, then missed the cut again last week at the European Tour's flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship.