Golf:Tiger Woods never saw this coming. After his win in the Arnold Palmer Invitational just a fortnight ago, neither did anyone. But the one-time superhuman endeavours of golf's were shown to be those of a mere mortal as Woods snuck inside the cut line and was forced to play the role of comeback kid in this 76th US Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.
It remains to be seen if Woods has the firepower to make up ground, and his petulant behaviour in the second round – swearing as well as throwing and kicking clubs – demonstrated more than any words the actions of a man at odds with himself.
If this Masters was promoted as the Tiger v Rory Show, the evidence base of the first two rounds is that McIlroy has stolen a march. The Northern Irishman has been cool, calm and collected – recovering from that double bogey on his very first hole of Thursday’s first round – to get right into the mix, just a shot behind midway leaders Fred Couples and Jason Dufner.
For sure, it is a logjam at the top end of the leaderboard; and, with the 10 shot rule ensuring a bumper field and the presence of world number one Luke Donald for the weekend, much of the focus as twilight came last evening was on the deeds of McIlroy – and a certain Mr Couples, some 20 years on from his Masters win of 1992 – and the possibilities of him earning redemption for his meltdown of a year ago. On that occasion, he went into the final round with a four stroke lead only to suffer ignominy and a lesson that he has learned better than anyone of his generation.
In his first Major after that meltdown, McIlroy went out and won the US Open at Congressional in record breaking fashion and his quest for more Majors – reminiscent in a way of the manner in which Woods coveted such titles – has him as the danger man to both Dufner and Couples as the weekend is set to unfold.
When asked what he thought of Couples, McIlroy – honestly and simply – replied that he was “cool.” It was a word that showed respect and acceptance, but also didn’t betray any trace of fear. McIlroy, more than anyone, is aware that he is perfectly placed to make a challenge for a second Major in his young career.
McIlroy, ironically, has been paired with Sergio Garcia for the third round. For much of his career, the Spaniard – ten years McIlroy’s senior – was seen as the heir apparent to the throne once occupied by Seve Ballesteros as Europe’s kingmaker in the Majors. Whereas Garcia, who has shown a welcome return to form on the greens here at Augusta, has so far failed to garner a Major title, McIlroy’s win in the US Open has already set him a target to become a multiple champion.
The scene is set for an intriguing weekend, with 63 players making it into the final two rounds – including three Irishmen: McIlroy, Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell – and 30 of them within five shots of the lead. It is anyone’s championship, although Woods’s need to spend a number of hours on the range post-round encapsulated the problems that afflicted him in the second round. He made the cut, but has been left with a lot of ground to make up.
Couples and Dufner, still to claim a maiden tour win, took their place at the head of the field, but the presence of McIlroy in a group that also included Lee Westwood, Bubba Watson, and Louis Oosthuizen underlined the quality of the chasing pack.
