Rory McIlroy: 'If anything, I just backed up the belief that I have in myself'

Rory McIlroy plays his shot from the eighth tee during the second round. Pic: Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Rory McIlroy isn’t overanalyzing a sterling bounce-back 66 Friday after a couple of late doubles on Thursday seemingly derailed his annual quest to win the green jacket.

“I don’t think I proved anything,” McIlroy said after putting himself in prime position entering the weekend at the Masters. “If anything, I just backed up the belief that I have in myself, and the belief that I’m as resilient as anyone else out here.” 

McIlroy retired without comment immediately after signing his card on Thursday night, frustrated that a day that was going so beautifully was highjacked by a pair of late doubles on 15 and 17 when he put himself in trouble over both greens.

Faced with a seven-shot deficit, McIlroy needed a spark to try to do what has only been done twice before (Nick Faldo in 1990 and Tiger Woods in 2005) and win about Masters after being so far behind at the start.

Sports psychologist Bob Rotella spoke with McIlroy about not trying to make up the lost ground all at once.

“My mindset was: I shot even par yesterday; I probably need to get to somewhere between 12- and 15-under to win this tournament,” he said. “You know, there was plenty of time to do that. Again, just about staying patient.” 

After Thursday’s late stumbles, McIlroy went home and reset to tackle a completely new challenge on Friday morning. He’s better equipped to handle that most than he was before.

“Once I left the property last night, I just sort of tried to leave what had happened here,” he said. “You know, I rushed out of here to get home to see Poppy before she went to bed. So that was sort of nice to get to see her before she went to sleep.

“Yeah, I guess that’s something that I didn’t have a few years ago, to be able to get home and have that sort of, you know, take my mind off the golf a little bit.” 

While he admittedly was “not as frustrated” on Friday, McIlroy was reserved in discussing where he stands trying to win his first major in 11 years and complete the career grand slam.

“It’s only halfway. You know, we’ve got 36 holes to go on a very, very tough golf course,” he said. “Anything can happen, you know. And all I’m focused on is trying to hit a good tee shot in the fairway on the first hole tomorrow.”