Jim Bones McKay looks back on Masters history with Phil Mickelson
Jim Bones Mackay shares his favorite Masters stories, insights for the 2026 tournament, and the Masters app.
- So far, so good for Rory McIlroy. Only one person can stop McIlroy at this Masters. I’m sure you can already see it.
- Rory McIlroy once “acted his own way” at the Masters. No more.
- McIlroy says he’s a “smart veteran” now. Well, he’s still in his prime. A dangerous combo.
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Only one person can stop Rory McIlroy at this Masters. I’m sure you can already see it.
The only real threat to McIlroy is a man who wears a green jacket and speaks with a Northern Irish accent.
The only one who can stop McIlroy is McIlroy.
“I know what’s going to happen here, for better or for worse,” McIlroy said in a television interview after extending his lead at the Masters with a hot second-round finish.
So far, so good for McIlroy.
It’s not the end of the world, however, as the defending champion is at 12 under and has a six-shot lead, the largest 36-hole lead in Masters history.
It’s good that he’s playing, but the pressure mounts on the weekends and can put even the best golfer off guard. His career here was long enough that it was mixed with some spectacular collapses.
he knows it. you know it. The woman who drove the golf cart to take me from the press building to the course on Friday knows that.
“He’s going to get in his own way here,” she warned before McIlroy teed off for the second round.
It was once, twice, but not anymore.
McIlroy’s old Augusta demons showed up on Sunday, but another round card on a travel day like this one will likely be over by Sunday.
McIlroy’s putter is winning for him. He made 27 putts in round one. It’s going pretty well.
His encore required just 24 putts, helped by a chip-in on No. 17. It was even better.
‘Wise veteran’ Rory McIlroy wins Masters
McIlroy has been circling the field through the first two days of the tournament despite failing to hit the fairway with his drive on one par 5.
What do you think about that, Rolls?
“I’m becoming a smart veteran,” the 36-year-old McIlroy said.
Great quote, but I see it differently. He has the perfect combination of experience but is still in his prime. He’s played here enough to know that, as he said, “you don’t have to be perfect to score well.” That’s the smart side.
But he also averages more than 334 yards on drives and still rips off the tee, even if the bomb on the par 5 lands somewhere other than the fairway.
Augusta National crowd loves Lowry’s pursuit of defending green jackets
By the way, the audience loves this.
When McIlroy hit one on the 18th for his sixth birdie in the final seven holes, fans leaned over the rope line and held out their palms, hoping Lowry would slap them.
Of course he did. He feels this place. As he walked off stage to sign the scorecard, he kept clapping one hand, then two hands, then three hands, more, more, more.
We can tell the story of when Augusta National became McIlroy’s house of horrors. That’s old news.
This place is now Rory’s playpen.
Should his competitors be intimidated?
Oh, Rory won’t go there. It’s not his game.
“No, no, no. That’s not me. That’s not what I want to do,” McIlroy said.
Then forget about the threats. What about building a lead that can’t be surpassed?
McIlroy’s six-stroke lead was a new Masters record through two rounds.
McIlroy made birdie, birdie, birdie from No. 2 to No. 4 to reach 8 under par and put the numbers in his head. Reach 10 under in this second round.
He returned a few strokes. Just a light touch of green ink. There are no disasters. McIlroy successfully followed advice from Jack Nicklaus before the avoidance tournament. beeping Double bogey. You can do it, Kanekuma-san. In McIlroy’s case, none of those double boxes were on his scorecard for two days.
McIlroy returned one on the fifth and another on the 10th.
it’s okay. I’m still fine. Especially when approaching the green.
7-footer for birdie on the 12th: Good.
Another 7-footer on No. 13: Definitely.
Ten-footer #15: I didn’t break a sweat.
Three-footer No. 16: That’s child’s play.
Number 17, forget about the putter. Because the wedge got the birdie.
Six feet to go and red ink on number 18: He’s not missing, folks.
Sam Burns and Patrick Reed then held a six-stroke lead and started clapping some hands during Conqueror’s exit.
Afterward, a reporter asked McIlroy if it would be more fun to win this tournament in close games or just continue to dominate the field.
“What do you think?” McIlroy mused.
I think McIlroy has whipped everyone in this field, as long as he doesn’t beat himself.
Blake Topmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow at X @btoppmeyer.
