Rory McIlroy has vowed to not “get protective” of his record lead at the halfway stage of The Masters and “keep swinging” as he attempts to defend his title at the first major of the year.
The Northern Irishman produced a spectacular round-of-the-day 65 on Friday to get to 12 under after 36 holes – six shots clear of Americans Sam Burns and Patrick Reed, who are tied for second.
McIlroy’s stunning display comes 12 months on from completing his career Grand Slam at Augusta National, with a victory that also saw him end an 11-year wait for the fifth major title of his career.
The 36-year-old also led by six shots at the halfway stage of his first major triumph, the 2011 US Open at Congressional Country Club where he went on to win by eight shots.
Rory McIlroy claims it feels like he’s ‘playing with house money’ after shooting a second round 65 at Augusta to hold a record 36-hole lead at The Masters.
Asked after Friday’s round what ‘Congressional Rory’ would advise him now, McIlroy replied: “Don’t protect it. Go out and play freely, keep swinging.
“That was a big part of the lesson from the 2011 Masters to the 2011 U.S. Open was don’t get protective. Go out there and keep playing, keep trying to make birdies, stay as trusting and as committed as possible.”
Having beaten England’s Justin Rose in a play-off to claim his first Masters win, McIlroy was also asked whether he would prefer to eke out victory or run away from the field over the weekend.
Highlights from Day Two of The Masters from Augusta National.
Laughing, he replied: “What do you think?
“Look, I’ve built up a nice cushion at this point. I guess my mindset is just trying to keep playing well and keeping my foot on the gas.”
‘Not perfect but very efficient’
Rory McIlroy spoke prior to his second round of The Masters where he revealed the advice Jack Nicklaus gave him.
McIlroy’s stunning start has been built on one of the most efficient performances of his career, with the World No 2 repeatedly digging himself out of trouble over the opening two rounds.
That was best highlighted in the way he played the par fives on Friday, with McIlroy making birdies at three out of the four longer holes despite missing the fairway with his tee shots on all of them.
Having laid up to ideal spots to approach with his third shot, McIlroy hit superb wedges to the second, 13th and 15th holes to set up birdies.
Rory McIlroy sensationally holes out on the 17th
McIlroy played the first two days alongside last year’s US amateur champion Mason Howell, and pointed to his own efficiency when asked what he thought the 18-year-old would have learnt from his performance.
“Hopefully he saw that you don’t have to be perfect to shoot good scores,” McIlroy said.
“I think when I was 18 and I started to play tour events, I thought that pros just didn’t make mistakes, and he saw plenty of mistakes out of me over the first two days.
“Again, I fell back on my short game and my wedge play. So hopefully he saw someone that wasn’t perfect but was very efficient with how he scored, and I think that’s – to be successful at the professional level, that’s a big part of it.”
‘I feel like I’m playing with house money’
Having suffered from the weight of expectation as he sought to complete a career Grand Slam at Augusta over the previous decade, McIlroy has presented a far more relaxed demeanour at this year’s event.
He revealed how a feeling that he is “playing with the house’s money” has helped him to overcome the challenging moments he’s faced over the first two days.
Watch highlights of Rory McIlroy’s opening round as he begins his Masters defence with a sensational five-under par 67 at Augusta.
McIlroy told Sky Sports Golf: “I’ve always loved this tournament, I’ve always loved this golf course, even when I felt like it didn’t love me back.
“It’s such a pleasure to be here. It’s a unique tournament, there’s nothing else like this that we play. And I so desperately wanted to win here just so I could come back each and every year, and thankfully I was able to do that last year.
“So, doing that, when I miss fairways, it’s fine. When I miss greens, it’s fine. I feel like I’m sort of playing with the house’s money, which is a nice feeling to have.”
Can McIlroy defend his title at The Masters? Watch the opening major of the year exclusively live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Saturday from 4.30pm on Sky Sports Golf, with extra coverage on Sky Sports+. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.
