After a promising start to his round on Thursday, McIlroy’s day seemed to fall apart with two costly double bogeys in his final four holes. These mistakes dropped him to a position he certainly hadn’t expected: seven shots behind the leader and trailing 26 other golfers. Frustration was clearly visible, and McIlroy didn’t waste any time retreating from the chaos. He dashed past reporters and headed straight for the parking lot, eager to escape the disappointment. His next stop? His rental home, where he tucked his 4-year-old daughter, Poppy, into bed before reflecting on the tough day.
“I just sort of tried to leave what had happened here,” McIlroy later explained.
Seeking Calm and Clarity: The Power of Patience
The following morning, McIlroy met with his trusted sports psychologist, Dr. Bob Rotella. Rotella’s advice was simple but powerful: remain patient and don’t force things too quickly. McIlroy took these words to heart, and the result was almost immediate.
He started strong on Friday, carding an easy birdie on the par-5 second, followed by eight pars to make the turn in red numbers. It was a solid, controlled effort — but McIlroy wasn’t done yet. His second-nine performance was a statement of resilience.
“I feel like that patience was rewarded,” McIlroy said with a satisfied grin after posting a 6-under 66. This round had eroded all but two shots of the advantage held by the leader, Justin Rose.
The Charge Begins: Back-to-Back Birdies and a Touch of Luck
McIlroy’s charge started early in his second nine, with a stunning approach shot from 177 yards at the par-4 10th, followed by another precision strike from 159 yards at the 11th. Both shots resulted in back-to-back birdies. The crowd at Augusta, ever loyal and eager for drama, stood and cheered as McIlroy made his way to the 12th hole. The patrons knew something special was happening.
But McIlroy’s good fortune wasn’t over yet. At the par-3 12th, he was fortunate when his tee shot miraculously kicked out of the bushes and back into play. It was the kind of break that can turn a tournament around. The momentum was building, and McIlroy was taking full advantage.
A Moment of Doubt: The Critical 13th Hole
However, not everything went smoothly. On the par-5 13th, McIlroy found himself in the pine straw after an errant drive. He had to calculate the exact yardage to clear the creek — 189 yards — and then decide whether to hit a 4-iron or a 5-iron. Choosing the 4-iron, McIlroy watched as his ball drifted right. For a moment, he thought he had made a mistake.
“When the ball was in the air, I was like, ‘You idiot, what did you do?’” McIlroy admitted, his self-criticism revealing just how much pressure he was under.
But as the ball landed on the green and rolled to within 9 feet of the hole, McIlroy could only breathe a sigh of relief. He sank the eagle putt to the roar of the crowd. That shot was the turning point McIlroy needed, propelling him back into the hunt for the coveted green jacket.
Luck and Precision: McIlroy’s Strategy Pays Off
McIlroy’s resilience didn’t stop at the 13th hole. On the par-4 14th, after another slightly awkward drive, McIlroy switched from a 9-iron to a pitching wedge. The result was a beautiful 160-yard shot that landed just 17 feet from the pin. His birdie putt lipped out, but McIlroy had already regained his confidence. The birdie would come soon enough.
Then came the par-5 15th — the hole that had given McIlroy trouble just the day before. His chip shot from behind the green had sped past the hole and into the water on Thursday, contributing to his early struggles. But McIlroy remained focused, deciding to take the shot again rather than replaying it from the drop area. The course, he knew, would test him at every turn, and his approach to the challenge was spot on.
“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,” McIlroy said. “It was a good reminder last night that you just have to have your wits about it on every single golf shot.”
On the 16th hole, McIlroy made one more birdie, his final birdie of the day, after a 231-yard shot with a 4-iron that once again put him in prime position. His two-putt from 90 feet marked the final moments of a round that saw him erase nearly all of his early mistakes.
McIlroy closed out his round with three solid pars, finishing his day at 6-under. He had started the day in a position of near irrelevance but now stood just two shots behind the leader, poised for a run at the weekend.
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