McIlroy’s Master class

RORY McILROY will begin his second round at the Masters this evening determined not to squander a good opening score as he did at St Andrews last year.

The 21-year-old shot a bogey-free opening seven-under-par 65 at Augusta National last night, his lowest score at the revered course in seven competitive rounds and immediately reviving memories of a thrilling major championship record-breaking opening 63 in last year’s Open Championship.

McIlroy does not want a repeat of what followed, however, when the wind returned to the Old Course and he shot a second-round 80, but he insisted he had learned from the experience.