The Masters: Rory McIlroy happy to get in for the weekend at Augusta
Saturday 13 April 2019 17:10, UK
Rory McIlroy remained confident that he could haul himself into contention for the Masters as he declared himself "pretty pleased" to be only seven off the lead at the halfway stage.
McIlroy was again at odds with all departments of his game on day two at Augusta National and struggled for consistency throughout, although he did produce moments of brilliance with an eagle at the eighth, while he avoided a third six on his card when he got up-and-down from 180 yards at the 15th to scramble a valuable par.
The 29-year-old steadied himself after a bogey-six at the second with a tidy run of pars before picking up his first birdie of the day thanks to a sublime iron in close at the sixth, and he raised prospects of a strong charge when he drilled his second to six feet at the long eighth and rattled in the eagle putt.
But he was then off target with his approach to the 11th and could not save par from the sand and, after a 30-minute weather delay, he made poor contact with his second to 13 and his ball ended up in Rae's Creek, a mistake that led to another six.
With the cut possibly moving to two over and McIlroy having little margin for error, he did well to salvage a five at 15 after he sprayed his drive into a marshal's cart and then found himself with 180-yards to the pin with his fourth, which he knocked to eight feet and holed the tricky putt down the slope.
McIlroy picked up a bonus birdie with a huge 35-foot putt on the 16th and closed with two safe pars to stay at level par for the tournament, and he set his sights on putting pressure on the leaders when he goes out early on Saturday morning.
"I'm actually happy to be where I'm at, especially having to get it up and down from 180 yards on the 15th to make par," he said. "I played the last four in one under to be safe for the weekend, but I was staring bogey in the face at 15 and thinking I'd have to play the last three at even par just to make the cut.
"To be here on the weekend and only be seven back, I'm actually pretty pleased. The eagle on eight was fantastic and that got me going, I had a great putt on nine and I don't know how that didn't go in. I got up and down on 10, and then the hooter blew on 11 and that sort of stopped any of the momentum. So I just had to try to pick it up a little from there."
Find great courses near you with GOLFNOW
Asked about his title prospects, McIlroy added: "It's just so bunched, and there are so many guys with a chance coming into the last two days. So if I can get off to a decent start on Saturday, shoot 33 or 32 on the front nine, I'm right back in it.
"I don't feel like I'm that far away. To shoot under par today considering some of the breaks I got and some of the shots I hit, and I'm right there.
"I'm much happier now than I was last night coming off the course, when I had just bogeyed the last two holes. In comparison, one under for the last four to get myself in for the weekend, thinking on the middle of the 15th fairway I had a realistic chance are not being here. So to get in and be seven back, I'm pretty happy."
The Masters - Live
