Rory McIlroy has turned quick-hit scouting missions into a six-shot Masters lead. The defending champion fired a second-round 65 at Augusta National on Friday, setting a tournament record with six birdies over his final seven holes.
McIlroy now holds the largest 36-hole advantage in Masters history. His blistering performance has him positioned to become just the fourth golfer ever to win back-to-back green jackets.
“I did a couple of days where I dropped [daughter] Poppy to school, flew up here, played, landed back home and had dinner with Poppy and [wife] Erica,” McIlroy explained. “I did a couple of day trips like that where I felt it was a better use of my time than going to Houston or San Antonio.”
The Northern Irishman skipped the three PGA Tour events leading into the Masters. Many assumed he was resting. Instead, he was logging air miles on his private jet for targeted Augusta reconnaissance.
“I honestly just don’t like the three tournaments leading up to this event,” McIlroy said with only half a smile. “I’d rather come up here. It wasn’t really about conserving energy, but just I felt the more time I could spend up here, the better.”
McIlroy’s on-course homework has paid massive dividends. “I’ve been on this golf course so much the last three weeks,” he noted. “That has been a combination of practice and chipping and putting around greens, and then just playing one ball and shooting scores and ending up in weird places that you maybe never find yourself and just trying to figure it out.”
The result is a commanding cushion heading into the weekend. McIlroy will play alongside Sam Burns in Saturday’s final pairing. Patrick Reed and Justin Rose form the penultimate group.
“Look, I’ve built up a nice cushion at this point,” McIlroy said. “I guess my mindset is just trying to keep playing well and keeping my foot on the gas.”
He knows Augusta’s capacity for drama. “Obviously this golf course has certain characteristics that guys can get on runs, guys can make eagles, you hear roars all over the golf course,” McIlroy observed.
His plan is simple: tunnel vision. “I think the next two days for me is really about focusing on myself,” McIlroy stated. “It’s hard to avoid those big leaderboards out there but I know that I’ve got a lead. I don’t need to keep checking it all the time. So for me, just really focusing on myself and staying in my own little world out there is the best thing.”
Does he believe his dominance intimidates the field? “No, that’s not me,” McIlroy insisted. “That’s not what I want to do. Honestly, I don’t care. Golf is the most amazing game because it’s you and your golf ball and the golf course and that’s it. You shouldn’t be affected by anyone else.”
McIlroy’s meticulous preparation has rewritten the Masters record book. Now he aims to close the deal with two more rounds of focused, aggressive golf.
