McIlroy shows his mettle

Rory McIlroy showed his mettle last night with finishing back-to-back birdies to keep his bid for Masters redemption on track at Augusta National.

The wonderfully composed finish rescued a round that began with a double bogey and gave the Irishman an opening one-under-par 71 on his return to the course where his Masters dream collapsed so spectacularly with a final-round 80 a year ago.

Yet Lee Westwood delivered a timely reminder to McIlroy and Tiger Woods that when it comes to the Masters there is no such thing as a foregone conclusion.