Rory McIlroy praised his own major resilience and the support of sports psychologist Bob Rotella after charging back into contention for the career Grand Slam at The Masters.
McIlroy arrived at Augusta National among the favourites to win a first major since 2014 and made a dream start on the opening day, playing his first 14 holes in four under, only to card two double-bogeys in a three-hole stretch late in his round.
McIlroy made a patient start to his second round as he reached the turn in 35, before firing an eagle and three birdies in his next six holes to card a bogey-free 66 and head into the weekend just two strokes behind halfway-leader Rose.
“I think, overall, just proud of myself with how I responded today after the finish last night,” McIlroy said. I just had to remind myself that I played really good golf yesterday.
“I wasn’t going to let two bad holes sort of dictate the narrative for the rest of the week. But, yeah, ultimately just proud of how I got back into it.
“I don’t think I proved anything, if anything I just backed up the belief I have in myself and the belief that I’m as resilient as anyone else out here.”
McIlroy’s round unravelled on the opening day when he double-bogeyed the par-five 15th, having chipped down the slope into the water hazard with his third shot, but he played the hole three strokes better with a second-round birdie.
“I was so frustrated last night because I played so well, and you can make these big numbers from absolutely nowhere on this golf course, just like the most benign position,” McIlroy added.
“It was a good reminder last night that you just have to have your wits about it you on every single golf shot. Then today, when the second shot was in the air, it was a little touch and go.
“Even where the ball finished sort of on the slope, I was thinking of running to mark it to make sure it wasn’t going to run back down the hill. It was nice to make a four there to keep the momentum going that I had built up through those previous holes.”
Only one of the last 19 Masters winners has been more than four shots off the lead after the first round, although McIlroy remains in the hunt to join Sir Nick Faldo (1990) and Tiger Woods (2005) as the only players to come back from seven behind following the opening day at Augusta National and win the Green Jacket.
“It’s fabulous stuff,” Faldo told Sky Sports. “To go on after yesterday and the two doubles, I felt he’d basically gone back to zero and starts again. This is going to be won at 10 or 12 under, he’s got plenty of time; he’s got three rounds to get to that score. looked great, it’s all how you react when something goes wrong. Once you start seeing the trouble, you have to deal with it the next hole.
“He’s been around here enough times, he knows sections of the green that are dangerous. Don’t try and be a hero and land right on the number, give yourself half a chance. He really looks like he can do it this time.”Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, commentating for Sky Sports, added: “He [McIlroy] would have been devastated walking off that golf course yesterday. He played brilliantly and left four or five shots behind him, particularly when you see somebody like Scottie Scheffler getting off to such a fast start.
“He recalibrated last night and reset himself, but I think he’s been fortunate today. I think a number of things have gone his way and he could easily be four or five shots worse today. Lady Luck has shone, but I guess that balances out over time.score and put himself where he needs to be going into the weekend, because notoriously that’s what he does badly.
“His scoring average over the first two rounds has been two shots higher than the weekend. Now he’s here for the weekend. Can he go and push on? That’s the question.”
