Rory McIlroy kept his focus on the game as his former flame Caroline Wozniacki seemed to take a subtle jab at him.
During Friday’s round, there was a moment when it looked like McIlroy’s chances for the year were slipping away. After a tough finish on Thursday, where two double bogeys on the 15th and 17th holes brought him back to level par, he needed mental strength and an impressive round before heading into the weekend.
McIlroy kicked off with a birdie on the second hole but then hit a string of seven pars. While his play was steady, it wasn’t enough to challenge leader Justin Rose or a surging Bryson DeChambeau.
Notably absent from the large leaderboards scattered around Augusta National, McIlroy’s progress—or lack thereof—was unknown to the spectators for at least 12 holes, rendering his performance seemingly inconsequential.
Meanwhile, Wozniacki, who was interviewed by ESPN while McIlroy was on the course, didn’t mention him by name but seemed to relish the difficulties faced at Augusta National. “There’s so much pressure here, it’s the small margins,” she commented. “These greens are so difficult, so if you don’t hit it at the perfect spot, you go from being in a position for maybe going for a birdie to being lucky getting a bogey.
“Watching someone who is so good at their craft I think has always been very inspiring, whether it’s tennis, golf, at work, whatever it is. As a spectator, it’s always fun to see when the best in the world are struggling, and that’s what you get here.”
Unaware of the ongoing interview and possibly his absence from the leaderboards, McIlroy dug deep. He scored birdies on the 10th and 11th, followed by a sensational eagle on the 13th with an impressive approach from the pine straw.
Caroline Wozniacki was interviewed by ESPN (Image: X)
Another birdie on the 15th, and suddenly, McIlroy was just two shots behind the leader Justin Rose before the fans could even blink. Wozniacki wasn’t watching her former flame struggle anymore.
His determination to bounce back from a devastating round on Thursday to a flawless 6-under round on Friday showcases the grit required to win a Green Jacket. The 35 year old left the course with a stormy expression after his initial round, signing his scorecard and bypassing the press without a word.
McIlroy confessed he hurried out of Augusta National to return to his daughter. “Once I left the property last night, I just sort of tried to leave what had happened here,” he remarked.
“You know, I rushed out of here to get home to see Poppy before she went to bed. So that was sort of nice to get to see her before she went to sleep. Yeah, I guess that’s something that I didn’t have a few years ago, to be able to get home and have that sort of, you know, take my mind off the golf a little bit.
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“But yeah, I just — I feel like I just did a good job of resetting. I had a good conversation with Bob Rotella this morning, mostly around not pushing too hard too early and trying to get those shots back straightaway. And you can sort of see how I started today with eight pars and a birdie on the front nine. I just tried to stay really, really patient. I feel like that patience was rewarded with a nice little stretch there in the middle of the round.”
Shane Lowry, who is just three shots behind Justin Rose himself, had breakfast with McIlroy on Friday morning and expressed his support. “I’m happy for him,” he said.
The two golfers discussed McIlroy’s frustrating performance the previous day, but Lowry noted that they both knew there was a lot of golf left to play. He pointed out that McIlroy’s impressive run on the back nine was a testament to the rewards of playing well on this course.
Lowry added that McIlroy has been in a great place mentally for a while now. Following last year’s tense Masters experience, it appears that a more controlled and relaxed mindset is paying off for McIlroy.
