Augusta, GA ….
Seven years after a then curly-haired, boyish-looking 21-year old imploded on the final day of the Masters a clearly more meaningful Rory McIlroy finds himself again standing on the welcome mat to win the one Major Championship to have illuded him.
A one-over par 71 handed McIlroy a then clubhouse share of the lead on day two of the 2018 Masters.
McIlroy recorded four birdies and also three bogeys to be moments later joined by Jordan Spieth who went into the round enjoying a two-shot lead only to see that advantage disappear with an opening hole double-bogey.
While McIlroy seeks a first Masters, Spieth is determined to capture a second.
Rory McIlroy reveals a four-point guide if he’s going to now win the Masters
However, it was a day McIlroy stood extremely tall in the very testing conditions that cut many of the world’s best down to size including last week’s Houston Open winner, Ian Poulter who ended his two rounds at five-over and just four days after winning with a 19-under par total.
McIlroy is contesting his 10th Masters and a 37th major and now at age 28 years, he is giving up four years to Spieth.
And the Northern Irishman was quizzed after his round what advice he would give to himself heading into the weekend rounds of the year’s first Major.
“Stay patient. Birdie the par 5s. Keep your putts on the high side of the hole. Hope for the best”, he said.
A post round Masters press conference led to McIlroy’s expectations on the eve of the Masters and compared to now with two rounds to play.
“I never have expectations of where I’m going to be on a leaderboard,” he admitted.
“I just want to go out and play well.
“I guess how I felt out on the golf course and the shots I’ve hit and how I felt in general, I would have taken that. But yeah, I mean, being up there around the lead going into the weekend, it’s a good position to be in.
“But I think I’m happier with how I’ve felt and how I’ve handled certain things and how my thought process has been. That’s been a pleasing thing.”
And many of those about were found wanting, McIlroy revealed how he’s been controlling his emotions over the opening 36-holes.
“Yeah, I feel relaxed. I feel good. You know, I’m constantly having a conversation with myself about staying in the present and just one shot at a time and all the cliché stuff that you hear about,” he said.
“But it’s true. You know, that’s all I’m doing. I’m trying to get up there and hit the best shot that I can, and after that, I’ll go about what’s the best way to hit the next shot and the putt.
“So it’s very much been that way, which is ‑‑ as I said, talking about how I’ve been pleased with how I’ve felt and my thought process and where I am mentally, I’ve felt really good about that.
“I feel like I don’t have to swing my best to play my best golf, but if I can think the way I’m thinking right now and stay in that mind‑set, that’s when I’ve been able to produce my best results”.
