'Good day's work' - Rory McIlroy reflects on birdies closing run off 'controlled' Arnold Palmer Invitational round
Rory McIlroy heads into the Arnold Palmer Invitational closing weekend trailing leader Daniel Berger by nine shots but bolstered off “a good day’s work” over round two which featured four birdies across the final nine holes.
The Northern Ireland hero climbed 24 places from Thursday’s opening 72 to sit tied ninth in the leaderboard thanks to a second-round 68 that matched the tally of high-flying Berger.
Birdies on holes 10, 12, 13 and 16 improved on his first-leg even-par return that included one birdie and one bogey at Bay Hill.
A “very pleased” McIlroy will tee off his third round on Saturday (5.55pm, UK time) alongside Ryan Fox.
“Very pleased...one bogey, hit it in the water on 8 but made a good putt for bogey there,” said McIlroy. “I really felt like that kept any momentum that I had for the round going.
"I played the last 10 holes really, really well...overall really, really pleased.
"Played a very sort of controlled, patient round of golf which you need to do around here.
"Yeah, good day's work.”
Reflecting on his 72 score to open the tournament McIlroy won in 2018, he stated: “I felt like I played yesterday (Thursday) okay as well...I made a couple of big numbers.
"I felt like the wind got very strong on us for a portion of the back nine yesterday...definitely got a lot tougher.
"I wasn't too displeased with how I played yesterday, obviously I just didn't hold it together and score the way I wanted to coming down the last few holes.
"But I felt like my game's in pretty good shape the last couple days.”
McIlroy was asked how conditions on Friday compared to previous visits to Bay Hill.
“Pretty similar, I would say,” he answered. “If we don't get any rain the next couple days, which it looks like we won't, it's going to be really difficult.
"It's difficult even if you hit the ball in the fairway, with this little bit of breeze, with the firm greens, I mean, it's hard to get the ball close.
"You're hitting good iron shots to 25, 30 feet all the time and then you're not going to make a lot of those.
"So really have to make the bulk of your score on the par-5s and just stay really patient for the rest of the way.”