Nina's Sports Bad Boys Blog World: McIlroy shoots 65, grabs clubhouse Masters lead

Thursday, April 7, 2011

McIlroy shoots 65, grabs clubhouse Masters lead

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) � Rory McIlroy has another early lead at a major championship.

Now, he's got to avoid another meltdown.

One of golf's brightest young stars, the 21-year-old McIlroy surged to the top of the Masters with a 7-under 65 on Thursday. He went to the clubhouse three shots clear of the field, a reminder of his dynamic start last year at St. Andrews.

He was leading the British Open after shooting 63, then slumped to an 80 in the howling wind of the second round. McIlroy shouldn't face those conditions in Georgia - the forecast called for warm, clear weather through the weekend - but he feels better prepared to deal with any adversity.

"At the time, it was very disappointing," McIlroy said of his second-round collapse at St. Andrews. "But looking back, it was probably very valuable in my progression as a golfer."

He rallied to finish third at the British Open, though far behind winner Louis Oosthuizen, and was third at the PGA Championship. Throw in his performance at the Ryder Cup, where he helped Europe reclaim the trophy from the U.S., and it's easy to understand why the young man from Northern Ireland is considered a star-in-the-making.

He sure had it going at Augusta National, taking advantage of nearly perfect conditions for scoring: a sunny day with only the slightest breeze. McIlroy started rolling at the par-5 second with the first of three straight birdies, and kept it going through a bogey-free round.

"I trusted everything," he said. "I trusted where I wanted to hit the ball. That's the key around here. With some of these pins, you can get tentative and try to guide it in there. You just have to pick your targets and trust your swing. I was very happy with the way I did that."

McIlroy doesn't expect to fall apart on Day 2, as he did in Scotland.

"I hope it will help me," he said. "I have that experience to draw on, especially being in a similar position to last year at St. Andrews. I feel like I'm better prepared to tee off in the second round of a major with the lead."

Tiger Woods wasn't anywhere near the lead, but at least he wasn't totally out of it. Mired in the longest winless streak of his career, he was 1 under after rolling in a long putt at the 14th for his second straight birdie.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson teed off in the next-to-last group of the day and pushed his opening tee shot into the trees left of the fairway. He scrambled to save par and was even through three holes.

Matt Kuchar, Sergio Garcia and Y.E. Yang were closest to the lead, all at 4 under while still on the course. Two-time U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen had the early lead after holing out an eagle from the fairway on the first hole. But the South African limped to the finish with three straight bogeys for a 70 that felt much worse.

Woods has gone 20 tournament over 17 months without a win, but he's always a contender at Augusta National, where he's captured four green jackets and finished fourth a year ago.

The day began shortly after sunrise with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer striking ceremonial tee shots, the traditional start to the year's first major.

With the overnight chill still lingering, the 81-year-old Palmer hit a little fade that stayed in the fairway. The 71-year-old Nicklaus went next, ripping one right down the middle about 30 yards past his longtime rival.

"I guess it's still kind of fun to lop it off the first tee and be part of a great event," Nicklaus said. "People enjoy it. It's Augusta's way of honoring its past champions and people such as Arnold and myself. It's really quite nice they allow us to do this."

But most eyes figured to be on Woods and Mickelson. Together, they've combined to win seven green jackets, including six of the last 10.

That might be about their only similarity at the moment.

Mickelson is coming off a three-stroke win at Houston, his first triumph since last year's Masters and a sign that his game is peaking at just the right time.

Woods, on the other hand, hasn't won since a sex scandal ended his marriage and tarnished his image. He's in the midst of another complex swing change, still searching for the dominance that used to make him an automatic favorite at every event he entered.

For the first time since 1999, Woods wasn't the Augusta favorite. Mickelson is the bookmakers' choice at 13-2, while his longtime rival is the second pick at 10-1.

PGA champion Martin Kaymer came to Augusta as the world's top-ranked player, but he's never made it to the weekend at Augusta and might be on his way to missing the cut again. The German was 4 over with two holes left.

Lee Westwood is a former No. 1 in the second spot behind Kaymer. The Englishman is regarded as the best player never to win a major, an unwanted distinction he'd sure like to erase from his record. He was 1 under heading to the 17th hole.

Six of the top seven players have a shot at leaving Augusta in the No. 1 spot if they win, including third-ranked Mickelson, who squandered a dozen chances last year to take it. The next two - No. 4 Luke Donald and fifth-ranked Graeme McDowell - also are in the running.

Even Woods, who has slipped to seventh, isn't out of the chase for No. 1.