Rory McIlroy will not ‘protect’ his record lead at the halfway stage of the Masters and has vowed to ‘keep swinging’ as he attempts to defend his title in the first major of the year.
The Northern Irishman shot a stunning round of 65 on Friday to sit at 12 under par after 36 holes. This was six strokes ahead of Americans Sam Burns and Patrick Reed, who tied for second place.
McIlroy’s stunning performance came 12 months after completing a career Grand Slam at Augusta National, and the victory also ended his 11-year wait for the fifth major title of his career.
The 36-year-old also won the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club from a six-stroke lead to an eight-stroke victory, halfway to his first major victory.
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Rory McIlroy claims he feels like he’s ‘playing with the house money’ after shooting a second round 65 at Augusta to maintain a record 36-hole lead in the Masters.
Asked after Friday’s round what advice Rep. Rory would give him now, McIlroy responded: “Don’t guard. Go out there, play free and keep swinging.”
“The biggest lesson from the 2011 Masters to the 2011 U.S. Open was don’t get defensive. Go out there and keep playing, keep trying to make birdies, have as much trust as you can and maintain the attitude of doing your best.”
McIlroy, who won his first Masters title by beating England’s Justin Rose in a play-off, was also asked whether he would continue his winning streak or walk off the field at the weekend.
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Highlights from day two of the Masters at Augusta National.
He smiled and said, “What do you think?
“Look, I’ve built up a good cushion at this point. I guess my only thought is to keep playing well and try to keep my foot on the gas.”
‘Not perfect, but very efficient’
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Rory McIlroy revealed the advice Jack Nicklaus gave him ahead of the second round of the Masters.
McIlroy’s stunning start built on one of the most efficient performances of his career, with the world No. 2 continually trying to stay out of trouble during the opening two rounds.
This was most evident in the way McIlroy played the par 5 on Friday. McIlroy recorded birdies on three of the four long holes despite missing the fairway with his tee shot.
McIlroy prepared a good approach point in advance with the third shot and then hit excellent wedges on the 2nd, 13th, and 15th holes to catch birdies.
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Rory McIlroy recorded a surprising holeout on the 17th hole.
McIlroy played the first two days alongside last year’s U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell, and pointed to his efficiency when asked what he thought the 18-year-old had learned from his performance.
“I hope he knows you don’t have to be perfect to get a good score,” McIlroy said.
“When I started playing tour events when I was 18, I thought the pros didn’t make mistakes, but in the first two days they saw a lot of mistakes from me.
“Once again, I turned to my short game and my wedge play, so I hope we saw someone who, while not perfect, is very efficient in the way he scores. I think that’s a big part of being successful at the professional level.”
‘I feel like I’m playing with my house money’
McIlroy, who has struggled under the weight of expectations as he has spent the past decade trying to win a career Grand Slam at Augusta, appeared much more relaxed at this year’s event.
He revealed how feeling like he was ‘playing with the house’s money’ helped him get through the difficult moments he faced during the first two days.
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Watch opening round highlights as Rory McIlroy opens his Masters defense with an incredible 5-under-par 67 at Augusta.
McIlroy said Sky Sports Golf: “I’ve always loved this tournament, even when I felt like this golf course didn’t love me.
“I’m really excited to be here. It’s a unique tournament, there’s nothing like it we play and I wanted to win here so I could come back every year and thankfully I was able to do that last year.
“So when you do that, it’s okay to miss the fairway. It’s okay to miss the green. It feels like you’re playing with the house’s money. It feels good.”
Can McIlroy defend his title at the Masters? Watch this year’s opening major live exclusively on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Saturday from 4.30pm on Sky Sports Golf, with further coverage available on Sky Sports+. Access or stream Sky Sports with no contract.
