Rory McIlroy’s first 14 holes at Augusta National on Thursday couldn’t have gone much better.
The world number two, who has made a habit of starting The Masters slowly in recent years, was four under par and playing great.
On the par-5 15th hole, he hit his second shot over the green, leaving himself with a difficult – but possible – chip shot.
McIlroy probably needed to land the ball on the fringe, given the speed of the green, but he carried it too far and rolled off into the water.
The Northern Irishman then failed to get up-and-down from the drop zone and made a double bogey – the beginning of a small collapse.
Hank Haney reflects on Rory McIlroy’s mistake at The Masters
McIlroy’s error on the 15th hole ruined what was an excellent opening round to that point.
It was clearly still bothering him when he made an even worse double bogey at the 17th hole, leaving himself with a mountain to climb if he wants to win the Green Jacket.
Tiger Woods’ former coach Hank Haney reflected on McIlroy’s 15th-hole disaster and said he broke the “keys to golf.”
Haney wrote on X: “Three Keys to golf are eliminating penalty shots, two chips and three-putts.
“Usually to win at Augusta, the total of those three needs to be two or less. Not good when you are at that number on one hole.”
Rory McIlroy’s Masters chances are slim but not none
McIlroy will have gone to bed on Thursday night, infuriated with his mistakes in the final holes.
There is no getting away from the fact that those mistakes have relegated him from an excellent position to win The Masters to an outside chance.
All hope is not lost, though, as he’s only four shots behind Scottie Scheffler and those in joint-second place with 54 holes to go.
Assuming 18-hole leader Justin Rose can’t maintain the level he played on Thursday, McIlroy can still win the tournament with three consecutive rounds in the 60s – albeit that’s easier said than done.
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