After storming into the largest halfway lead in Masters history, Rory McIlroy revealed he will prepare for another tilt at the green jacket by watching tennis and Zootopia 2.
The defending champion made six birdies in the final seven holes of a stunning second round to finish on 12-over-par – six clear of Sam Burns and Patrick Reed heading into the weekend.
Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood are one further back after a dramatic afternoon at Augusta that also saw Bryson DeChambeau miss the cut.
McIlroy had a share of the lead after an opening-round 67 before the Northern Irishman shot 65 on Friday to take control of the tournament. He said he now feels like he’s ‘playing with house money’ as he chases back-to-back green jackets.
‘It was an amazing end to the round and, when I was standing on the 12th tee, I didn’t imagine I would be six ahead going in to the weekend,’ McIlroy said afterwards.
‘I’ve always loved this tournament, 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 is nothing else like this that we play. I so desperately wanted to win here so I could come back each and every year.’
Rory McIlroy stormed into the largest halfway lead in Masters history at Augusta on Friday
The defending champion made six birdies in the final seven holes of a stunning second round
McIlroy said he could prepare for his round by watching tennis and a film with daughter, Poppy
On his preparations for Saturday’s third round, he added: ‘I’ll probably try to keep my mind off of it. That distraction is usually a good thing for me, especially with a late tee time and the lead.
‘There’s actually two really good semifinals at Monte Carlo in the tennis. So I’ll watch that. I think it’s [Jannik] Sinner and [Alexander] Zverev and [Valentin] Vacherot and [Carlos] Alcaraz. We’ve been watching the tennis early in the mornings. So I’ll do that.
‘And then hopefully spend some time with [his daughter] Poppy. I think we’re about halfway through Zootopia 2. So maybe do a little bit of that.
McIlroy tends to arrive at the course two-and-a-half to three hours before his round. , ‘Before that time, I really try to stay off my phone and distract myself and try not to think about it too much,’ he said.
The Northern Irishman has vowed to ‘keep his foot on the gas’ rather than trying to protect his lead. That was a lesson he learned last year, when McIlroy overcame Rose in a playoff after surrendering the overnight advantage.
‘Over the years [at] this golf course, my mindset hasn’t been keep swinging,’ he admitted.
‘It’s been guided, tentative. I think the experience I’ve accrued over the years and obviously with what happened last year, it makes it a bit easier out there to keep swinging.’
‘It was an amazing end to the round,’ McIlroy said after he built a six-shot advantage
McIlroy believes his incredible start is partly down to having shed some pressure 12 months ago, when he ended his long wait for a green jacket and completed the career grand slam.
‘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,’ McIlroy told Sky Sports.
‘The way the course is playing you just have to think your way around it. If I can keep doing that, making the right decisions and keep putting one foot in front of the other then hopefully everything works out.’
