Rory McIlroy holds the largest-ever 36-hole lead at The Masters.
He birdied six of the last seven holes to conclude a historic second round, moving six shots clear going into the weekend. McIlroy is 12-under par and appears to be unbeatable.
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But if we know anything about this golf tournament, it’s that no lead is safe. Jordan Spieth blew a six-stroke lead on the back nine in 2016, so there is plenty of time for McIlroy to give this advantage away.
Especially considering his record at majors, where he has been known to throw away leads. Look at the 2024 US Open, or even last year’s Masters, as prime examples of that.
With this in mind, McIlroy was asked about his mindset going into the weekend.
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Rory McIlroy to ‘keep swinging’ over the weekend at The Masters
McIlroy said that if he’s learned anything from majors in the past, it’s that a lead isn’t safe until it’s over the line. The reigning champion is wary of what might happen behind him.
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He said, “I just want to go out and play two good rounds again. Obviously, this golf course has certain characteristics that guys can get on runs, guys can make eagles, you hear roars all over the golf course.
“I think the next two days for me is really about focusing on myself. It’s hard to avoid those big leaderboards out there, but like I know that I’ve got a lead. So I don’t need to keep checking it all the time. So for me, just really focusing on myself and staying in my own little world out there is the best thing.”
McIlroy was then asked what lessons he’s learned from his runaway major win at the 2011 US Open, and he said, “Don’t protect it. Go out and play freely, keep swinging. That was a big part of the lesson from the 2011 Masters to the 2011 U.S. Open was don’t get protective.
“Go out there and keep playing, keep trying to make birdies, stay as trusting and as committed as possible.”
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So don’t expect any difference in McIlroy’s approach this weekend!
Rory McIlroy says what he hoped Mason Howell learned from him this week
As last year’s champion, McIlroy was grouped with an amateur player over his first two days. Howell sang McIlroy’s praises after the round, and the Career Grand Slam winner said what he hopes the 18-year-old learned from him.
McIlroy said, “Hopefully, he saw that you don’t have to be perfect to shoot good scores. I think when I was 18 and I started to play tour events, I thought that pros just didn’t make mistakes, and he saw plenty of mistakes out of me over the first two days.
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Again, I fell back on my short game and my wedge play. So hopefully he saw someone that wasn’t perfect but was very efficient with how he scored, and I think that’s — to be successful at the professional level, that’s a big part of it.”
McIlroy was in no way perfect, ranking second-last in driving accuracy so far this week, but his mentality and scrambling got him to this point. It’s an important lesson for the young amateur.
Read the full article here
