Rory McIlroy, grappling with Augusta’s winds and his own swing demons, endured a tough second round at the Masters, slipping from contention as the leaders surged ahead. The Northern Irishman, ranked second in the world, found himself struggling to maintain pace after an unsettling day on the course.
Despite the setbacks, McIlroy’s resolve remains unwavering, recalling his remarkable fightback earlier this year at the Dubai Desert Classic as a beacon of hope. “I won from 10 back in Dubai at the start of the year,” he reflected. “But obviously, the Dubai Desert Classic and the Masters are two very different golf tournaments. We’ll see.”
The difficulties of the Masters were evident as McIlroy’s round, marred by wayward shots and elusive birdies, saw him slip to +4 for the tournament. “Tough day, really tough day,” McIlroy remarked. “Scoring was very difficult. Most of the field couldn’t really get anything going. It was just a matter of trying to hang in there as best you could.”
The 34-year-old, known for his prowess off the tee, grappled with the unpredictable conditions, struggling to adapt to the changing winds that plagued the course. “Mentally it’s a grind because you just have to try to commit as best you can to the shot that you’re trying to play,” he explained. “One second you’ll have a shot that’s playing 150, and then if the wind does something different, the shot could be playing 180.”
McIlroy’s determination was on display after the round, as he was spotted late into the evening on the driving range, honing his skills alongside caddie Harry Diamond. Despite the daunting deficit, McIlroy remains optimistic about his prospects for the weekend. “Yeah, I still think I can go out tomorrow and shoot a low one, get back into red numbers, and have half a chance going into Sunday,” he affirmed.
The road ahead promises to be challenging, but McIlroy’s resilient spirit and previous come-from-behind victories offer a glimmer of hope in the face of adversity.
