Rory McIlroy was in imperious form at Augusta National during day two of The Masters on Friday.
Many believed that Rory McIlroy had shot himself out of contention to win The Masters this year, after he double bogied two of his final four holes around Augusta National.
The 35-year-old Northern Irishman was determined not to let that finish get him down though.
Despite a slow start to his second round on Friday, McIlroy lit up the back nine with a sensational five-under par 31, before carding a brilliant 66 – one that thrust him right into contention to win the 89th Masters.
After his disappointing end to day one, Rich Beem predicted that Rory McIlroy could still win The Masters.
And now there is every chance that he will finally join the extremely exclusive Grand Slam club.
Rory McIlroy equals Jack Nicklaus and Jordan Spieth’s record at Augusta after 66 at The Masters
McIlroy is one of the winningest players in PGA Tour history.
He also has four Major Championships safely tucked away.
However, it has been 11 years since he last won one of golf’s most coveted trophies.
His second round 66 at Augusta on Friday has put him in a great position to finally win his fifth major.
Incredibly, McIlroy equalled records set by Jack Nicklaus and Jordan Spieth on Friday, with his six-under par round.
The man from Hollywood Northern Ireland became only the fourth player of all-time to shoot 66 or better, six times or more.
He’s now alongside Nicklaus and Spieth on that list, and there are no prizes for guessing who sits at the top.
That’s right, Tiger Woods with eight rounds of 66 or lower.
Sir Nick Faldo made incredible Rory McIlroy prediction in 2015
Back in 2015, many assumed Rory would begin his march towards Jack Nicklaus’s tally of 18 majors.
However, things have seriously slowed down for him over the past decade.
Don’t say that Sir Nick Faldo didn’t warn you though!
During the opening day of the 89th Masters, Faldo explained how he predicted that McIlroy could struggle 10 years ago:
“I remember being asked, like Jack was 10 years ago, I said to the media, ‘He’s either going to be really disappointed getting to 10 majors or he will be static getting to five. You don’t just roll off a log and win a major.
“And now 10 years gone by, he was right there at Pinehurst, which must have been brutal. That just shows you how fragile they are, one minute you’re leading a major and then you do something like that.
“What attitude to you come in here with. Do you try to go happy go lucky, or do you go Monte Carlo or bust, or do you put blinkers on head down? Or do you set a score?
“I would say Monte Carlo or bust wouldn’t work here, because you’ve got to plot your way around. I would personally put the blinkers on, head down. Once you’re on the golf course, get in your bubble.
“This game is physical, technical and mental. He’s got the other two locked out, and it’s just the mental strength, the mental strength of finishing it off, I’m just not sure. If it was that easy to flip the switch, he would have done it 10 years earlier.”
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