The Masters: Rory McIlroy recovers from opening 75 with 66 without ghosts | Golf news

The first round 75 left Rory McIlroy needing a big change just to make the cut, and he responded with a magnificent no-bogey 66 that left him just six shots behind the leader at the end of the second day at Augusta.

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Rory McIlroy only had 30 minutes between rounds on Friday at The Masters, but managed to cut nine shots from his first-round score even though he only had time to hit six shots at range between rounds, five with a nine iron and one with three. -wood

Rory McIlroy staged a spirited fight to return to contention for an inaugural Masters title after a long second day at Augusta National.

McIlroy looked bad on the nine holes he hit Thursday night after the three-hour weather delay, and it got worse for him early Friday morning when he resumed with a bogey on the 10th.

That set the tone for a back-nine 39 and a round of 75 that put him 10 shots behind the leader, but a “colorful” talk from Seminole president and family friend Jimmy Dunne had the desired effect for his second round, McIlroy cruising to an impressive 66 who ensured he made the cut with plenty to spare.

McIlroy fought for a back-nine 39 early on Friday

He needed a big start in the 10th, which he found with a three-suit, a nine iron and a perfect birdie putt, and took more shots at 12, 15 and 17 to get into the red for the tournament.

McIlroy made two putts for another profit in the second pitch, adding another in the eighth while keeping a bogey off his card and approaching three under par, just six behind the leaders in the second half of the last major of the year. . .

“Jimmy Dunne gave me a pep talk between rounds going to the field,” he explained. “It was colorful! Honestly, I’ve been playing really good coming here, and then I go into the first round and throw 75, and I think ‘where the hell did that come from?’

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“I knew it was there, it was just a matter of, like I said, trusting a little more and being committed. It was better this afternoon.”

McIlroy looked all out to sea with his back-nine swing in his first round, turning his way to the left on 13 and running for a bogey-six, and a thrown short iron found the water at 16 before he did. It would do well to seesaw to limit damage to a ghost.

“It’s funny, I’ve had so many in-between numbers,” he said. “Every time I start trying to slow down, I sometimes make the club move to the left and drag it, and that’s what happened on 16.

Rory McIlroy rallied to shoot a 66 and is six behind co-leader Dustin Johnson

“Obviously we didn’t have a lot of time between rounds, so I went to the field and hit five nine irons and a three club and tried to let go of it. Sometimes I get so slow and put up with something like holding on to it.

“So it was just a matter of trying to loosen it up a little bit more and be a little bit more engaged with my shots and my swing. I turned it well and fired a good shot, at least I gave myself a chance to get into the weekend. .