Rory McIlroy surged again into competition for Masters glory – and with it the prospect to enter the pantheon of {golfing} greats.
A landmark, bogey-free second spherical 66 catapulted the Northern Irishman up the Masters leaderboard on day two at Augusta, lower than 24 hours after a again 9 implosion that threatened to dictate the discourse.
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2025 Masters Leaderboard
After two rounds
-8 Justin Rose
-7 Bryson DeChambeau
-6 Rory McIlroy, Corey Conners,
-5 Matt McCarty, Shane Lowry, Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton
-4 Rasmus Hojgaard, Viktor Hovland, Jason Day
The world no 2 had performed fantastically on Thursday to take a seat at 4 beneath par with 4 holes left to play.
However two double bogies in these closing 4 holes meant somewhat than being nestled behind Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose, he was the truth is seven pictures adrift of the primary spherical lead and snubbed media duties.
A far cry from the heartwarming scenes throughout Wednesday’s Par-3 competitors the place McIlroy’s daughter Poppy stole the present.
Each Rose and McIlroy had been among the many early starters on Friday and whereas Rose carded a one-under par spherical 71 to take the midway lead – and with it eclipse Masters greats – McIlroy was spectacular.
4 birdies and an eagle, no bogies and a spherical of 66 put Thursday’s scruffy finish within the rear view mirror – and with it made a little bit slice of Augusta historical past for McIlroy.
Per golf statistician Justin Ray, McIlroy has now fired extra bogey-free rounds (6) than some other participant since making his debut in 2009.
For McIlroy there was extra to it.
“I believe, total, simply pleased with myself with how I responded at this time after the end final evening,” he instructed Sky Sports activities after his spherical
“I wasn’t going to let two unhealthy holes kind of dictate the narrative for the remainder of the week…yeah, in the end simply pleased with how I acquired again into it.”
Now, the four-time main champion stands getting ready to greatness and the prospect to affix Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gary Gamers, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazan as males to win all 4 majors a minimum of as soon as.
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There’s loads of golf to be performed, McIlroy is aware of that greater than most however he bristled on the considered Thursday’s dropped pictures costing him expensive.
“I don’t assume I proved something. If something, I simply backed up the assumption that I’ve in myself,” he stated.
“I’m as resilient as anybody else out right here.
“As soon as I left the property I attempted to depart what had occurred right here. I rushed house to see (daughter) Poppy earlier than she went to mattress and I really feel like I did an excellent job of resetting.
“I had an excellent dialog with [sports psychologist] Bob Rotella about not pushing too arduous too early, simply tried to remain actually, actually affected person and that was rewarded with a good little stretch in the course of the spherical.”
It appears barely plausible that McIlroy is greater than 10 years and 38 majors since his final success in golf’s greatest occasions.
Tens of millions in prize cash, FedEx playoffs, signature occasions, DP World Championships and Ryder Cup triumphs have ensured success has been in fixed provide.
However the {golfing} elite are judged on main success and the 35-year-old is determined so as to add a Masters to the PGA, Open and two US Opens he has already positioned on the McIlroy mantelpiece.
9 of the highest 16 on the midway stage have already got a serious title as a excessive calibre area enters the weekend.
Former US Open champions Rose and Bryson DeChambeau would be the final pair out on Saturday, whereas McIlroy will likely be alongside Canada’s Corey Conners within the penultimate group.
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler is within the combine at five-under par, the place McIlroy’s nice good friend Shane Lowry finds himself because the island of Eire await a primary Masters champion.
No-one who made the reduce has greater than McIlroy’s 4 main wins, however maybe no-one carries as a lot scar tissue.
Famously, McIlroy has this yr spoken about desirous to have your heartbroken if you wish to put your self within the combine for the majors.
Much more famously, McIlroy imploded 14 years in the past on the again 9 on Sunday when poised to assert the title.
On the midway stage, heartbreak stays a risk however tantalisingly {golfing} greatness additionally lies in touching distance.