'You idiot, what did you do?': Rory McIlroy on moment that almost ruined Masters fightback

With all due respect to first-round pacesetter Justin Rose, it was because the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau had stolen a march on him in the 89th Masters that the Rory McIlroy doom merchants were out at Augusta National.

They’re back in their boxes now, though, because the Northern Irishman’s hopes of finally slipping into a Green Jacket to become just the sixth player to complete a career grand slam are very much alive heading into the weekend.

Eight behind Rose standing on the tenth tee in the second circuit after struggling to make anything happen on the front nine but determined to stay as patient as possible, it was as though the world No 2 flicked a switch and, boy, was it impressive.

It’s doubtful that McIlroy has hit better back-to-back approaches - both from 160 yards, using an 8-iron for the first then a 9-iron for the second - than the ones that set up birdies from one feet and five feet at the demanding tenth and 11th holes at the Georgia venue.

The four-time major winner then benefited from a huge slice of luck as his tee shot at the short 12th landed in the bushes at the back of the green but came down off the bank, allowing him to make an important par there sheerly in terms of momentum.

That he then made it four 3s on the trot to start the inward journey was down to a sensational shot, albeit a risky one from the pine needles up on the right side of the fairway at the par-5 13th.

His strike was crisp but, with Rae’s Creek waiting to gobble it up, McIlroy’s reaction as he bent down and held his breath said it all as his ball not only stayed above ground but ended up nine feet from the hole to set up an eagle - the first of the day there.

When he then birdied the 15th, where his opening round had unravelled after chipping into the water and running up a double-bogey 7 before dropping another two shots at the 17th, McIlroy had suddenly moved within two shots of the lead.

He missed a good opportunity to get even closer to Rose after the Englishman had backed up his opening 65 with a battling 71 to set the clubhouse target on eight under, but then made amends for that by holing a testing six-footer for a par at the last.

It added up to a 66, his sixth such score here and joining Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Jordan Spieth in signing for that six or more times. It was also his sixth bogey-free round at Augusta National and, boy, did it come at the perfect time.

Only two players - Nick Faldo in 1990 and Tiger Woods 15 years later - have overcome a seven-shot deficit after 18 holes to claim a Green Jacket, but McIlroy is now heading into the weekend with the spring back in his Nike golf shoes.

He sits joint-third, two behind Rose, a fellow former Genesis Scottish Open champion, with two-time US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau sandwiched in between them and world No 1 and defending champion Scottie Scheffler also in the mix on five under.

“I’m proud of myself how I responded after last night,” admitted McIlroy. “I reminded myself that I had played really good golf and that I was not going to let two bad holes dictate the narrative for the rest of the week.

“I didn’t feel I proved anything to myself, but today was another example of how I believe I am as resilient as anyone out here. My mindset was, I shot even par yesterday. I probably need to get to somewhere between 12 and 15-under to win this tournament. You know, there was plenty of time to do that.”

Having been advised by Bob Rotella, his mind coach, that he didn’t need to push too hard, too early, McIlroy was delighted to see a “patient” approach being rewarded, though he admitted that he’d been a lucky boy at the 13th in particular in that back-nine burst.

“When the ball was in the air, I was like, 'you idiot, what did you do'?” he said of that second shot there, having found himself between clubs before going with a 4-iron instead of a 5-iron. “Yeah, I rode my luck a little bit with that second shot, but it was nice to take advantage of it.”

Rose, the runner-up here in both 2015 and 2017, losing in a play-off to Sergio Garcia in the latter, produced a chipping masterclass as he mixed four birdies with three bogeys in his second-day effort. “I think last week I was a 2 out of 10,” he said of his wedge play in the Valero Texas Open. “And (this week) I'd give it an 8 so far. Yeah, definitely happy with that part of the game.”

DeChambeau, one of 12 LIV Golf players in the field, holed from a bunker for a birdie-2 at the fourth before also picking up another shot at the fifth, which had played as the toughest hole on the opening day. He then cooled off a bit thereafter but, on seven under, sandwiched between Rose and McIlroy, he is handily-placed heading into the weekend.

As is Canadian Corey Conners, who sits alongside McIlroy and, having recorded three top-ten finishes in seven starts here, is once again showing how this venue brings out the best in him, and, of course, Scheffler.

After getting the same stroke of luck as McIlroy at the 12th, the world No 1 chipped in for a birdie before mixing two birdies with two bogeys - he drove into the trees at the last - over the closing stretch.

After a great couple of days for the European contingent, 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry and three-time Dunhill Links winner Tyrrell Hatton both sit on five under, one ahead of Dane Rasmus Hojgaard and Norwegian Viktor Hovland while 2024 runner-up Ludvig Aberg from Sweden is on three under.

“I'm happy for him,” said Lowry of close friend McIlroy’s fightback. “I ate breakfast with him this morning. We talked about what he did yesterday and he was quite frustrated. I'm sure last night was tough for him.

“But for both of us, there's a lot of golf to be played this weekend yet, and he knew that, and what a run he made on the back nine. That's what this golf course can throw up if you play well.”

McIlroy certainly did that and now a huge weekend lies ahead.