AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) Rory McIlroy has the career Grand Throw well within reach at the Masters.
Tough conditions at Augusta National could help keep him within the hunt.
McIlroy recently had an up-and-down start to the second round Fri, carding two birdies and 3 bogeys on the front nine whilst moving closer to the leaders. Matt Kuchar and six others had been tied at 3 under whenever McIlroy made the turn a single shot back.
Along with firmer greens, tougher pin positions and just enough wind to make method shots more challenging, it could be difficult for anybody to make a run up the leaderboard. That might be beneficial for McIlroy.
McIlroy was at his best earlier in the round. He made the sweeping 30-footer for birdie as well as the par-5 second. He nearly went the green on the 350-yard 3rd and then chipped to 4 foot and drained it for a birdie. He was at 4 below before giving back shots from Nos. 4 and 6, each par 3s.
This individual was over the green on the 240-yard fourth and then missed a 7-footer for par. He was lengthy again on the 180-yard sixth, damaged on and missed a 17-footer for par.
McIlroy wanted to get off to a solid begin, knowing it was crucial for their latest shot at a career Fantastic Slam.
Saving k?rester on the final three holes within the opening round Thursday helped your pet keep it in sight.
McIlroy shot a 3-under 69, splitting 70 in the first round on Augusta National for the first time since last year. He shot a 65 that will year and looked like he would earn a green jacket before the final-round meltdown.
” You look at it and not anyone is actually getting away, ” McIlroy stated. ” Jordan had a pretty solid finish there. But this is our best start in a few years. And, yes, it’ s such a hard course to play catch-up on. If you begin to chase it around here, that’ s when you start to make mistakes.
” But to be up there and have the ability to stay individual because of the position I’ m within, that’ s a nice luxury You will find over the next few days. ”
He can thank a few well-timed shots down the stretch.
McIlroy sank an 8-footer with regard to par at No . 16, holed a sweeping, downhill, 13-footer pertaining to par on the next green and after that chipped to a couple feet in order to save another par on 18.
” It’ s not at all times the birdies that stick out in your head, ” McIlroy said, calling those people shots the highlights of their round. ” Those three openings. Big for momentum. I don’ t feel like I’ m heading out trying to get those two shots or even whatever back (Friday) morning. I could just be relaxed going on to the first tee, not being too concerned about looking to get those birdies back. So , yes, they were huge. ”
The first time McIlroy had a chance for that Grand Slam at the Masters, this individual opened 71-71 and found themselves 12 shots back because Jordan Spieth ran away with it.
Spieth drained five directly birdies and had a two-shot direct after the first round, but was fighting early Friday. He got away from to a terrible start, making a dual bogey at the first hole as well as a bogey at the second, before falling another shot with a bogey with No . 7.
Simply by early Friday afternoon, Spieth had been part of the group at 2 below, which also included Rickie Fowler and McIlroy.
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