Rory McIlroy shoots a 6-under 66, climbs Masters leaderboard
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Second-round leader Justin Rose was playing the 18th hole Friday afternoon at the Masters when the white analog Augusta National scoreboard caught the patrons attention.
“Rory’s coming back on the board!”
As the sign reading “McIlroy” was inserted back into place, the red numbers that followed told the story: Rory McIlroy had eagled the par-5 13th hole after making birdies on the 2nd, 10th and 11th holes. He had started the round at even par following two shocking double bogeys in his last four holes during Thursday’s round. Suddenly, he was 5-under and back in contention.
“I was so frustrated last night because I played so well,” McIlroy said Friday. “I’m proud of myself with how I responded after the finish last night.”
McIlroy’s final birdie of the day, which pushed him to 6-under and placed him just two back of Rose heading into the weekend, came on the 15th hole – the same hole that, on Thursday, had been his undoing. After hitting it over the green with his second shot, McIlroy chipped it into the water and proceeded to make a double bogey. He compounded his mistake by carding another double on 17 and his opening round of 72 was the seventh straight time he failed to break 70 on Thursday at the Masters.
On Friday, McIlroy hit yet another perfect drive on the 15th and this time, his long approach landed on the green and barely stayed on the surface. The putt for eagle was left short, but McIlroy was able to make the birdie and finished with three straight pars for a round of 66, including a 31 on the second nine – tied for his best score on that stretch.
“I had to remind myself that I played really good golf yesterday,” McIlroy said. “I wasn’t going to let two bad holes dictate the narrative for the rest of the week.”
The narrative that has followed McIlroy this week is one of opportunity. Having won twice on the PGA Tour already this season, including at the Players Championship, this was thought to be one of his best shots at securing his first major since 2014 and completing the career grand slam.
He was the next odds-on favorite heading into the week behind two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler and when he touched 4-under Thursday, it appeared he was going to put himself in prime position after just one round. Instead, after one round, he was eight shots behind the leader. A frustrated McIlroy didn’t talk to the media and went straight to the range before trying to mentally move on.
“Once I left the property last night, I just sort of tried to leave what had happened here,” McIlroy said.
McIlroy had breakfast with Shane Lowry Friday morning where he shared more of his frustrations with how he finished the first round. After a conversation with his coach Bob Rotella before the round, McIlroy said that he felt like he was in the right mindset for the task.
Though he couldn’t buy a birdie on the first nine after the second hole Friday, McIlroy played steady golf and made seven straight pars on the first nine. After making the turn, the four-time major winner hit the gas pedal. Short birdie putts on 10 and 11 suddenly got him to 3-under for the tournament before his best shot of the day vaulted him even further up the leaderboard. On the par-5 13th, his drive found the pine straw. McIlroy didn’t hesitate in going for it in two shots. But once he hit his 4-iron, he did hold his breath. The ball barely covered Rae’s Creek and gave McIlroy an eagle putt that he made, prompting an Augusta roar.
“Usually the ball comes out spinnier out of the pine straw. So I hit a 4-iron, and the follow-through, definitely I saved it and I was glad that I hit 4-iron,” McIlroy said. “But yeah, when the ball was in the air I was like, ‘you idiot, what did you do?'”
McIlroy had no trouble admitting that he got some help from the golf gods on the second nine Friday in what felt like a reversal from the breaks he didn’t get during Thursday’s messy finish. The see-saw nature of his two rounds have taken a lot out of McIlroy, who said he was exhausted, but as a 17-time participant at the Masters, he knows this is what he signed up for.
“Championship golf can be volatile,” McIlroy said. “This course takes it out of you physically and mentally. I just tried to stay really patient and I feel like the patience got rewarded.”
Fortune and patience alone won’t help McIlroy secure his first green jacket, but as he put himself in prime position heading into the weekend, McIlroy left Augusta National far more confident than he had left it the day prior.
“I backed up the belief and the belief that I am as resilient as anyone out there,” McIlroy said. “But it’s only halfway. Anything can happen.”
Source: espn.com