Triple Major winning Rory McIlroy has vowed to keep the pedal to the metal after storming his way to a two-shot clubhouse lead midway through the second round of the 96th PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky.
McIlroy continues to look in a class of his own muscling his way from one shot back at the start of the second round to end his day two clear in posting a four under par 67 and move to nine under on the rain-softened Valhalla course in Louisville, Kentucky.
And so much for his ‘Friday Frights’, as McIlroy again buried and lingering demons as he had done so convincingly in recent weeks at Hoylake and Firestone with a second round display that included a ninth hole eagle, four birdies and just two bogeys.
Rory McIlroy vows to keep the pedal to the medal and win by four, five or six shots. (Photo – Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)
In the three Majors McIlroy has captured – 2011 US Open, 2012 PGA & 2014 Open – he’s gone to the weekend in front of the field leading respectively by eight strokes, three strokes and six shots heading to the last two days at Royal Liverpool.
And with the 2011 Masters final round meltdown still clear in his mind, McIlroy is determined to return to Augusta next April with four Majors in his possession.
“I’ve had to learn to be a good frontrunner as may be wasn’t quite comfortable in that position at the start of my career, or like sort of 2009, 2010, 2011; especially 2011, the Masters, I was four ahead and I wasn’t quite comfortable in that position,” he said.
“So it’s taken me a couple of years to grow into that where I am comfortable, and, you know, my mind‑set has stayed the same since that day at Augusta.
“If I’m two ahead going into the weekend here, I’m going to try to get three ahead; and if I’m three ahead, I’m going to try to get four ahead; and if I’m four ahead, I’m going to try to get five ahead.
“I’m just going to try to keep the pedal down and get as many ahead as possible. That is my mind‑set whenever I’m leading the golf tournament.”
Heavy rain meant a 50-minute delay early on in the day before McIlroy needing six holes to tie the first round leaders on six under par before holing a 32-foot eagle putt at the 18th, or the ninth hole of his round, to move two shots clear at eight under par.
McIlroy dropped a shot at his 11th after finding a greenside bunker but bounced back holing an eight footer at his 16th and then sending yet another roar about the course in sinking a 16-footer at the last in his score of 67.
The effort put McIlroy three clear of American Ryan Palmer who had been out in the very first group of the day, and playing alongside Shane Lowry, shooting a 70 to finish on seven under par.
“It was just about managing your game and putting the ball in the fairway and trying to put it somewhere on the green and I was able to make a few birdies on the back nine and to finish off with that eagle on the last was nice,” he said.
“It was pretty scrappy, to be honest, around the start of the front nine. But a couple of key up‑and‑downs which were pretty important, and then to birdie two of the last three, that feels good, and gives me, right now, a little bit of a cushion.
“But it depends on what the guys do this afternoon.
“So overall really happy with the day’s work and another great chance to win a major championship going into the weekend.
“And if I were to win a second PGA Championship it would be big.
“It would be my fourth Major Championship, two in one year, two in a row; it would be big.
“I don’t know what else to say. And while there’s a lot of golf left to play, as you said, and I’m going to try my best to just keep what I’ve got and keep doing that.
“But if I was sitting here on Sunday night with the Wanamaker right here, yeah, I’d be very happy.”
