McIlroy, who’s hoping to turn into simply the fourth participant after Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods to win back-to-back Masters titles has held a six-shot lead at this level in a serious earlier than.
He went on to win the 2011 US Open by eight pictures – claiming the primary of his 5 majors – and likewise spreadeagled the sector with an eight-shot victory on the 2012 US PGA Championship.
And he plans to take care of an aggressive method round Augusta Nationwide over the weekend as he bids to match Faldo, Phil Mickelson and Lee Trevino’s haul of six majors.
“Do not shield it. Exit and play freely, maintain swinging,” he mentioned when requested what recommendation his 2011 self would have for him earlier than Saturday.
McIlroy led that yr’s Masters by 4 pictures going into the ultimate spherical, however carded an eight-over-par 80 to tumble down the leaderboard.
“An enormous a part of the lesson from the 2011 Masters to the 2011 US Open was do not get protecting,” he added. “Go on the market and maintain enjoying, maintain attempting to make birdies, keep as trusting and as dedicated as attainable.”
McIlroy additionally mentioned he plans to observe tennis and spend time together with his daughter Poppy to take his thoughts off the third spherical.
“That distraction is normally a very good factor for me, particularly with a late tee time and the lead,” he defined.
“There are two actually good semi-finals at Monte Carlo within the tennis. So I am going to watch these.
“We have been watching the tennis early within the mornings. After which hopefully spend a while with Poppy. I feel we’re about midway via Zootopia 2.”
