Rory McIlroy determined to lay Friday jinx
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Rory McIlroy is finally hoping to lay his costly Friday second-round bogey at Hoylake tomorrow (Friday 18).
The Northern Ireland superstar shot a superb opening round 66 (-6) to set a hot Open pace but is well aware of his personal ‘freaky Friday’ scenario in which he follows up a glorious opening round with an absolute shocker – most recently at last week’s Scottish Open at Royal Aberdeen.
“I’m conscious of it,” he admitted, “but there’s nothing really to it. It’s just about having higher expectations going out on a Friday because you’ve shot a low round and just trying to put those expectations aside and take it one hole at a time.
“On the Thursday you’re trying to find a rhythm and you’re just trying to play your way into the round. When you go back out on Friday after a good score, you know what you can do on the golf course so you’re going out with more expectations.
“I think I’ve got to approach it like that and start of trying to hit solid shots the first few holes and play my way into the round – just like I did today. I hit some really good shots on the first few holes and that gave me confidence and then I could go from there.
“But really I’ve got to take it one hole at a time, one shot at a time. I know everyone says it and you’ve heard it a million times, but it’s true and that’s what I’ll be trying to do tomorrow.”
The leader may well strike it lucky with the weather tomorrow – he’s due out at 2.27pm and should benefit from better playing conditions with wind and rain forecast in the morning. It should be drier and less windy in the afternoon.
But McIlroy is adamant he can take whatever the course and elements throw at him in his quest for his first Claret Jug.
He said: “I feel like I’m well prepared this week for whatever the conditions. I’ve practiced in windy conditions the last few weeks. We’ll see what tomorrow brings and I’ll try and handle it as best I can.”
