Rory McIlroy Rallies to Make Cut with Strong 2nd Round at 2020 Masters

With any chance of winning his first green jacket likely gone, simply finishing above the cut line was the priority for Rory McIlroy in the second round of the 2020 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club.

Thanks to a six-under 66, McIlroy is three under for the tournament, with the projected cut line at even par. He is in a tie for 27th, six shots off co-leaders Abraham Ancer, Cameron Smith, Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson, when his round concluded.

McIlroy was unable to complete the entirety of his first round Thursday since play was suspended because of darkness. He was even par over nine holes.

Perhaps the four-time major champion was unable to get a good night's sleep because he dropped three strokes on the back nine to finish with a three-over 75. It was about as bad a start as you could've imagined for a golfer with genuine title aspirations.

Perhaps the quick turnaround between rounds was the best thing for McIlroy. He didn't have much time to dwell on his poor performance before his focus had to shift to playing again.

He set the tone for Round 2 by starting on No. 10 with a birdie.

He followed with two more birdies on Nos. 12 and 15 prior to approaching the 17th hole. His tee shot landed on the right side of the fairway, and he dropped his approach to within 18 feet of the pin. He sank his birdie putt to go four under through his front nine.

McIlroy's momentum didn't carry over after he made the turn. He birdied No. 2 but made little progress up the leaderboard from there. A birdie on No. 8 at least provided some cushion with regard to the cut.

In general, Round 2 was a vast improvement from a Round 1 best summed up by his wayward drive on the 13th hole.

According to the Masters' official site, McIlroy reached 14 of the 18 greens in regulation, compared to nine in the first round. His putting average was 1.56 after a first-round 1.67.

Throughout his history at Augusta, one round was often enough to derail McIlroy's quest for a title. That might once again be the case in 2020. The 31-year-old dug himself into a deep hole Friday morning and built a deficit that could be impossible to overcome.