Rory McIlroy just set a benchmark at Augusta National. After 36 holes, he holds the largest halfway lead in the tournament's history. His record-setting performance was capped with a cheeky message for the rest of the field.

When the defending champion was asked how he views the path ahead, he responded with a question of his own. “What do you think?” said the 36-year-old during the press conference at Augusta on Friday, drawing laughter.

“Look, I've built up a nice cushion at this point. I guess my mindset is just trying to keep playing well and keeping my foot on the gas,” McIlroy added in the interview on the Masters YouTube channel.

Rory McIlroy opened with a 67 in the first round, placing himself near the top of the leaderboard. He kept the card steady, found greens, and added three consecutive birdies on holes 13, 14, and 15, moving him into contention by the end of the day.

He accelerated his pace in the second round. The 65 on Friday moved him to 12-under at the halfway stage of The Masters. The shift came on the back nine, where he picked up six birdies over the final stretch.

On the 17th, Rory McIlroy holed out from distance after missing the green, adding another shot to his total. With that, the lead moved to six shots, setting the largest 36-hole margin in the tournament.

So, while others stayed within range early, no one closed in as the round progressed. Patrick Reed and Sam Burns remained at six-under, while Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, and Justin Rose followed at five-under. 

Rory McIlroy Stepped Away From His Routine Before the Masters

While the defending champion may have approached the week with a different mindset after completing his career Grand Slam, Rory McIlroy did not ease off his preparation.

Instead, he chose not to follow his usual run of events in Texas, skipping starts at the Houston Open and the Valero Texas Open in the weeks ahead of the Masters.

After competing at The Players Championship in mid-March, he stepped away from tournament golf and did not enter another event before the Masters.

That break also followed his withdrawal from the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to a back issue. The time off allowed him to recover and arrive at Augusta without physical concern.

Rory McIlroy stayed in Florida during that period and built his preparation around practice rather than tournament rounds. He made repeated visits to Augusta, using the course during the lead-up.

During those sessions, the work stayed centered on short game areas. He spent time on chipping and putting while getting familiar with the course conditions.

Do you think anyone can catch Rory McIlroy, or is the Masters already out of reach for the field?

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Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi