McIlroy facing ‘impossible’ task

European Tour

Rory McIlroy admitted that it would “nearly impossible” to win the Masters this year after making the cut by a single shot on Friday.

The former world number one reached four-over at the halfway stage after a disappointing second round 77, but needed to make a tricky four-feet par putt on the final hole to secure his place in the third round.

“It was very frustrating. I just really couldn’t get anything to go my way,” McIlroy said after his round.

“I had a couple of really bad breaks on four and 13.

“I got a really massive wind switch on four [his tee shot flew the green and almost hit Adam Scott on the fifth tee] and then hitting the sprinkler on 13 to go up into the azaleas.

“I felt like I played well coming in. I gave myself looks at birdie almost every hole. I couldn’t get one to drop.

“I didn’t know that putt on the last was to make the cut, but when I got into the scoring area and saw that I was in (joint) 46th place, it was a bit of a sigh of relief that I’m here for the weekend.

“I just want to go out there and try to get off to a fast start. Eleven shots back (of leader Bubba Watson) with two rounds to play is going to be nearly impossible to make up so I’m trying to shoot two really low rounds and see where that puts me at the end of the week.

“It will take something phenomenal to shoot something in the mid-60s and get myself back under par going into the last day. But I’m going to need to be two, three or four under par going into the last day to have any sort of chance.”

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