Rory McIlroy is in a dominant position heading into the weekend at The Masters. With a commanding lead, he shared the simple mental approach he believes will carry him to victory.

McIlroy registered a six-shot lead after 36 holes. After completing his Career Grand Slam last year, he is clearly playing with more freedom this week.

“I think it's just to try to keep playing the way I've been playing. Try to stay loose, try to stay free, trusting, committed, all the things that I've been trying to concentrate on the first two days. Look, there's still a long way to go. I've gotten off to this great start, which is wonderful,” McIlroy told Amanda Balionis.

Rory shot a historic 7-under 65, closing the second round with a stretch of six birdies in the final seven holes, along with a spectacular 29-yard chip-in birdie on the 17th. However, McIlroy acknowledged that there is still a long way to go.

“But there's a lot of golf left ahead of all of us, and a lot of things can happen on this golf course. So I just have to stay in my own little world today and tomorrow. You know, and I know that the game is there. It's just a matter of managing myself and making the right decisions when I need to.”

What stands out is how different McIlroy’s mindset is compared to last year’s winning weekend. Then, the pressure of completing the Career Grand Slam was unavoidable.

This time, with that milestone behind him, he appears more settled, focusing on staying present and managing each shot rather than chasing history.

McIlroy is aiming for consecutive Masters titles and would join the elite group of Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods if he holds on to his lead.

Contenders Closing In on McIlroy

The fast and firm greens have created challenging conditions for golfers, with notable names like Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith, and Akshay Bhatia not making the cut.

Several other players are also performing at a high level. Sam Burns was tied for first with McIlroy after the first round. Patrick Reed is not far behind as well.

As things stand in the third round, McIlroy holds a narrow lead, with Cameron Young close behind and several players within striking distance as the leaderboard continues to shift.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler remains a constant threat. After struggling in the first two rounds, Scottie Scheffler made a strong move up the leaderboard with an impressive third-round 65.

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Written by

Avishek Sarkar

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav