Rory McIlroy wanted a playoff to win his first Masters final 12 months. Twelve months later, no one can get close to the free-wheeling Northern Irishman.
The defending champion fired a seven-under-par 65 on Friday — the bottom spherical of the week — to attain 12 beneath for the match and construct the most important 36-hole lead in Masters historical past, six photographs away from Sam Burns and Patrick Reed.
McIlroy lastly accomplished the profession Grand Slam of golf’s 4 majors together with his victory right here final 12 months, and he mentioned it had lifted a weight from his shoulders.
“I’ve at all times liked this match, I’ve at all times liked this golf course even once I felt it didn’t at all times love me again,” McIlroy informed Sky Sports activities after his spherical.
“I really feel like I’m enjoying with the home’s cash which is a pleasant feeling to have.”
McIlroy closed his spherical in breathtaking vogue, making six birdies over his ultimate seven holes, together with a chip-in from off the seventeenth inexperienced earlier than holing a six-foot putt on the final for a fourth consecutive birdie.
Historical past can be in his favour. Within the final 14 Masters, the eventual champion was not more than 4 photographs behind the chief on the midway level.
‘KEEPING MY FOOT ON THE GAS’
It was a show of the type of liberated, free-swinging golf that has eluded McIlroy at Augusta for a lot of his profession, and one he attributed to lastly getting the monkey off his again.
“Over time, this golf course is usually — you understand, my mindset hasn’t been hold swinging. It’s been guided, tentative,” McIlroy informed reporters.
“I believe the expertise I’ve accrued through the years and clearly with what occurred final 12 months, it makes it a bit simpler on the market to maintain swinging.”
Regardless of his commanding benefit, McIlroy has no need to play it protected over the weekend.
“Look, I’ve constructed up a pleasant cushion at this level. I suppose my mindset is simply attempting to maintain enjoying nicely and protecting my foot on the fuel,” he mentioned.
With a bunch of main champions lurking on a crowded leaderboard, McIlroy is aware of solely too nicely that Augusta Nationwide can produce dramatic swings of momentum.
McIlroy infamously collapsed from a four-shot lead heading into the ultimate spherical of the 2011 Masters, a meltdown that started with a wild drive on the tenth that led to a triple-bogey.
However the Northern Irishman mentioned his plan over the ultimate two rounds is easy — keep in his personal world and block out the noise.
“Clearly, this golf course has sure traits that guys can get on runs, guys could make eagles, you hear roars all around the golf course,” he mentioned.
“I believe the subsequent two days for me is absolutely about specializing in myself.
“It’s laborious to keep away from these massive leaderboards on the market, however like I do know that I’ve bought a lead. So I don’t have to hold checking it on a regular basis. So for me, simply actually specializing in myself and staying in my very own little world out there may be the very best factor.”
Printed on Apr 11, 2026