Rory McIlroy is just two shots off the lead entering the weekend at Augusta National. (Michael Madrid-Imagn Images)
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / Reuters)
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy didn’t waste any time getting out of Augusta National Golf Club on Thursday afternoon. After a brutal finish to an otherwise impressive opening round at a Masters that feels like it has more pressure on him than most, it’s easy to understand why.
Advertisement
After making a pair of double bogeys in his final four holes of the day — going from three strokes of the lead to seven — McIlroy just wanted to get out of there. He walked right past reporters after turning in his scorecard and went home. With the day he had, he wanted to relax and hang out with his 4-year-old daughter, Poppy.
“Once I left the property last night, I just sort of tried to leave what had happened here,” McIlroy said on Friday. “I rushed out of here to go home to see Poppy before she went to bed. So that was sort of nice to get to see her before she went to sleep. … I feel like I just did a good job of resetting.”
Clearly, that worked out for him. A day removed from the finish that seemingly knocked him out of contention at yet another major championship, McIlroy is suddenly right back near the top of the leaderboard. McIlroy fired a bogey-free 68 on Friday, which has him just two shots back of Justin Rose at the midway point of the Masters.
McIlroy, after going 1-under on his front nine, took off after making the turn and absolutely dominated Amen Corner. He made two straight birdies to open his back nine, and then he hit a wild approach shot out of the pine straw at the par-5 13th. McIlroy launched that ball and landed it within just 10 feet of the cup.
Advertisement
While he was initially hit with a bit of a panic attack right after making contact with the ball — “When the ball was in the air, I was like, ‘You idiot, what did you do?’” he said — that left him with an easy eagle putt.
That eagle forced the scoreboard operators sitting above the No. 14 tee box to finally swap McIlroy’s name into the box for the first time all day.
“I rode my luck a little bit with that second shot, but was nice to take advantage of it.” he said.
McIlroy made one more birdie the rest of the way, at the par-5 15th where he made one of his doubles the day before.
“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 said.
Advertisement
“So it was a good reminder. It was a good reminder last night that you just have to have your wits about it you on every single golf shot.”
Though he’s now rebounded, and has played 34 good holes of golf, McIlroy was quick to point out that he’s only at the midway point of the tournament when he sat down after his round on Friday afternoon. He still has a long way to go to win what would not only be his first career green jacket, but would also both complete the career grand slam and end his major championship drought that dates back to 2014.
There are plenty of other big names right with him on the leaderboard capable of winning the green jacket, too. Bryson DeChambeau jumped to 7-under to get into second, and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler is lurking just a few strokes behind them.
Advertisement
A stumble like McIlroy went through on Thursday could have easily derailed the entire week in eastern Georgia. For some in the field, that would have been inevitable.
But McIlroy, having made it out the other side, is once again in a position to win on golf’s biggest stage. That’s all he could’ve asked for.
“I just backed up the belief that I have in myself, and the belief that I’m as resilient as anyone else out there,” McIlroy said. “Again, like I’ve been really proud of how resilient I’ve been the whole way through my career, and I think today was just another example of that.”
Now comes the hard part.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Realu se bortí obrana. Madrid přišel o další dva zadáky
Devětadvacetiletý Mendy se zranil v sobotním finále Španělského poháru s Barcelonou. Pro desetinásobného francouzského reprezentanta přitom šlo o první zápas po více než měsíční pauze zaviněné zraněním kolena.Alaba kvůli zranění minulý týden nedohrál ligový zápas s Getafe a i v jeho případě jde o opětovné zdravotní potíže. Dvaatřicetiletý rakouský obránce se v lednu vrátil po vážném zranění kolena, kvůli kterému přes rok nehrál.Parte médico de Alaba.— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) April 29, 2025 Trenér Carlo Ancelotti nemůže v závěru sezony počítat ani se stoperem Antoniem Rüdigerem, který po pohárovém finále dostal šestizápasový trest a navíc se podrobil operaci kolena, po níž bude chybět zhruba dva měsíce.Real je po vyřazení v poháru i Lize mistrů ve hře o trofej pouze ve španělské lize, ve které ale musí dohánět ztrátu na Barcelonu. Pět kol před koncem patří „Bílému baletu“ v tabulce druhá příčka se čtyřbodovým mankem.
Musah’s future uncertain after being unused sub again, Pulisic Shines in AC Milan Win | SOTU
ALEXI LALAS STATE OF THE UNION Trending MLB NFL UFL NTT INDYCAR SERIES NASCAR LIV NBA PGA NCAABK NCAAFB
Lionel Messi & Co look to make a comeback against Vancouver in Concacaf Champions Cup | SOTU
ALEXI LALAS STATE OF THE UNION Trending MLB NFL UFL NTT INDYCAR SERIES NASCAR LIV NBA PGA NCAABK NCAAFB
Geordie Luckley ready for dream return to Newcastle with Robins flying high
With Super League's Magic Weekend returning to Newcastle for 2025, there is no player as happy as Hull KR's resident Geordie Sam Luckley. Luckley lived out his dream in 2022, scoring for Salford Red Devils under the sticks at St James' Park and giving it the full Alan Shearer celebration. It was a moment that Luckley never thought he would get when growing up in his home city watching Newcastle United, but one he took with both hands when it arrived.After a year in Leeds, Magic Weekend returns to Newcastle for a record eighth time and Luckley is ready to relive "one of the best days of his life" if he can score when Hull KR take on Salford Red Devils, live on Sky Sports on Saturday May 3. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Sam […]
After a bruising series vs. Orlando, Boston emerges sharper and with time to heal
BOSTON — Prior to an elimination game in their first-round series against the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla did not want to hear about whatever rest a win would afford his ailing team."Well, we've got to win Game 5," he said.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat they did, dominating Orlando in the second half of a 120-89 victory and winning the series, 4-1.Meanwhile, next round's opponent remains undecided, as the Detroit Pistons defeated the New York Knicks, extending their series to a sixth game on Thursday. Tuesday's outcomes afforded the Celtics at least a few days rest, and that is significant, considering the bruises they collected against the Magic."It's good and bad," Mazzulla, ever the contrarian, said afterward of the additional rest. "We'll exit the arena for a couple days. That could be good. But I think as we start to get […]
Boston postoupil do čtvrtfinále a dál sní o obhajobě, opět kraloval Tatum
Milwaukee vypadlo třikrát za sebou v prvním kole, z toho podruhé za sebou s Indianou. V úterý vedlo 40 sekund před koncem prodloužení 118:111, jenže pak trefil Andrew Nembhard trojku a Tyrese Haliburton dal koš s faulem a proměnil trestný hod. Pak se prosadil i v nájezdu přes Janise Adetokunba 1,1 sekundy před koncem, čímž rozhodl.Milwaukee už nemělo oddechový čas a zoufalý pokus Garyho Trenta Jr. neměl naději na úspěch. „Tahle výhra se do historie klubu zapíše jako jedna z nejlepších. Tyrese si zaslouží gratulace, koncovku z velké části režíroval,“ řekl trenér Rick Carlisl. Haliburton přispěl k vítězství 26 body a devíti asistencemi.Myles Turner zaznamenal 21 bodů, Aaron Nesmith přidal 19 bodů a 12 doskoku. Na druhé straně nastřílel Trent 33 bodů. Adetokunbo, který zaznamenal 30 bodů, 20 doskoků a 13 asistencí, se po utkání dostal do roztržky s Haliburtonovým otcem a některými hráči Pacers. Indiana se ve čtvrtfinále utká s Clevelandem.Boston rozhodl proti Orlandu v druhém poločase, který ovládl 73:40. Jayson Tatum se blýskl 35 body, 10 asistencemi a osmi doskoky. Sekundoval […]
Related
Realu se bortí obrana. Madrid přišel o další dva zadáky
Devětadvacetiletý Mendy se zranil v sobotním finále Španělského poháru s Barcelonou. Pro desetinásobného francouzského reprezentanta přitom šlo o první zápas po více než měsíční pauze zaviněné zraněním kolena.Alaba kvůli zranění minulý týden nedohrál ligový zápas s Getafe a i v jeho případě jde o opětovné zdravotní potíže. Dvaatřicetiletý rakouský obránce se v lednu vrátil po vážném zranění kolena, kvůli kterému přes rok nehrál.Parte médico de Alaba.— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) April 29, 2025 Trenér Carlo Ancelotti nemůže v závěru sezony počítat ani se stoperem Antoniem Rüdigerem, který po pohárovém finále dostal šestizápasový trest a navíc se podrobil operaci kolena, po níž bude chybět zhruba dva měsíce.Real je po vyřazení v poháru i Lize mistrů ve hře o trofej pouze ve španělské lize, ve které ale musí dohánět ztrátu na Barcelonu. Pět kol před koncem patří „Bílému baletu“ v tabulce druhá příčka se čtyřbodovým mankem.
Musah’s future uncertain after being unused sub again, Pulisic Shines in AC Milan Win | SOTU
ALEXI LALAS STATE OF THE UNION Trending MLB NFL UFL NTT INDYCAR SERIES NASCAR LIV NBA PGA NCAABK NCAAFB
Lionel Messi & Co look to make a comeback against Vancouver in Concacaf Champions Cup | SOTU
ALEXI LALAS STATE OF THE UNION Trending MLB NFL UFL NTT INDYCAR SERIES NASCAR LIV NBA PGA NCAABK NCAAFB
Geordie Luckley ready for dream return to Newcastle with Robins flying high
With Super League's Magic Weekend returning to Newcastle for 2025, there is no player as happy as Hull KR's resident Geordie Sam Luckley. Luckley lived out his dream in 2022, scoring for Salford Red Devils under the sticks at St James' Park and giving it the full Alan Shearer celebration. It was a moment that Luckley never thought he would get when growing up in his home city watching Newcastle United, but one he took with both hands when it arrived.After a year in Leeds, Magic Weekend returns to Newcastle for a record eighth time and Luckley is ready to relive "one of the best days of his life" if he can score when Hull KR take on Salford Red Devils, live on Sky Sports on Saturday May 3. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Sam […]
After a bruising series vs. Orlando, Boston emerges sharper and with time to heal
BOSTON — Prior to an elimination game in their first-round series against the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla did not want to hear about whatever rest a win would afford his ailing team."Well, we've got to win Game 5," he said.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat they did, dominating Orlando in the second half of a 120-89 victory and winning the series, 4-1.Meanwhile, next round's opponent remains undecided, as the Detroit Pistons defeated the New York Knicks, extending their series to a sixth game on Thursday. Tuesday's outcomes afforded the Celtics at least a few days rest, and that is significant, considering the bruises they collected against the Magic."It's good and bad," Mazzulla, ever the contrarian, said afterward of the additional rest. "We'll exit the arena for a couple days. That could be good. But I think as we start to get […]
Boston postoupil do čtvrtfinále a dál sní o obhajobě, opět kraloval Tatum
Milwaukee vypadlo třikrát za sebou v prvním kole, z toho podruhé za sebou s Indianou. V úterý vedlo 40 sekund před koncem prodloužení 118:111, jenže pak trefil Andrew Nembhard trojku a Tyrese Haliburton dal koš s faulem a proměnil trestný hod. Pak se prosadil i v nájezdu přes Janise Adetokunba 1,1 sekundy před koncem, čímž rozhodl.Milwaukee už nemělo oddechový čas a zoufalý pokus Garyho Trenta Jr. neměl naději na úspěch. „Tahle výhra se do historie klubu zapíše jako jedna z nejlepších. Tyrese si zaslouží gratulace, koncovku z velké části režíroval,“ řekl trenér Rick Carlisl. Haliburton přispěl k vítězství 26 body a devíti asistencemi.Myles Turner zaznamenal 21 bodů, Aaron Nesmith přidal 19 bodů a 12 doskoku. Na druhé straně nastřílel Trent 33 bodů. Adetokunbo, který zaznamenal 30 bodů, 20 doskoků a 13 asistencí, se po utkání dostal do roztržky s Haliburtonovým otcem a některými hráči Pacers. Indiana se ve čtvrtfinále utká s Clevelandem.Boston rozhodl proti Orlandu v druhém poločase, který ovládl 73:40. Jayson Tatum se blýskl 35 body, 10 asistencemi a osmi doskoky. Sekundoval […]
Be the first to leave a comment