Rory McIlroy silenced his critics and dominated the second round at the Abu Dhabi Championship, carding a blistering 9-under 63 on Friday. The Northern Irishman struck 11 birdies at Yas Links, showcasing a level of precision that erased the shadow of his first-round penalty. Despite starting the day with a bogey, McIlroy quickly found his rhythm, firing three birdies in the next six holes to surge up the leaderboard. His aggressive yet controlled approach allowed him to close the gap on the leader, Tyrrell Hatton, who finished his round with a 65.
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The performance stands in stark contrast to Thursday’s events, when McIlroy was assessed a two-shot penalty for improving his lie on a hole where he had recorded a double bogey. That ruling left him eight shots off the lead held by Francesco Laporta. However, McIlroy refused to let the controversy dictate his mindset. “I made peace with it before I left the course,” McIlroy stated. “I’d much rather be two shots worse off than be called a cheat. I had a clear conscience and I could just go and play.”
Now sitting at 11-under par for the tournament, McIlroy is positioned one stroke behind Hatton heading into the weekend. The Masters champion acknowledged the favorable conditions, noting, “The course is very gettable today, there’s not a lot of wind. A lot of opportunities.” While he predicted he might be two or three shots behind by Sunday, his current standing is far superior to his initial expectations. With the pressure now on the leader to respond, McIlroy’s mental reset and technical mastery have set the stage for a thrilling finish at Yas Links.
Source: Yahoo Sports
