Rory McIlroy makes feelings clear after superb round brings him back into Masters contention

Rory McIlroy said he felt “proud” after roaring back into contention with a sensational 66 at the Masters. And the No.2 joined a pack of big names .

The Ulsterman’s latest bid to complete his career Grand Slam here looked over when . But after a steady start to his second round, McIlroy caught fire on the back nine with three birdies and a spectacular eagle from the pine straw in his bogey-free round.

“I think overall I am just proud of myself with how I responded today after the finish last night,” he said. “I just had to remind myself that I played really good yesterday, I wasn't going to let two bad holes sort of dictate the narrative for the rest of the week.

“Once I left the property last night, I just sort of tried to leave what had happened here. I rushed out of here to get home to see Poppy before she went to bed.

"I feel like I just did a good job of resetting. I don't think I proved anything.I just backed up the belief that I'm as resilient as anyone else out here."

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But McIlroy admitted he rode his luck with his 4-iron from 189 yards just clearing Rae’s Creek before he made a seven-foot eagle putt on No.13.

“When the ball was in the air, I was like: ‘You idiot, what did you do?’ I rode my luck a little bit on 13 and 14 and 15 and thankfully got away with it a little bit.

"I think those are the sorts of things that you need to happen in major championships.I feel like it got a little unfortunate yesterday in some parts, and I got a little fortunate today.

Only two men have ever won the Masters after making two double bogeys - with the last Craig Stadler in 1982. McIlroy had shot 77 on his last two Fridays here but goes into this weekend only two shots behind his Ryder Cup team-mate Rose.

US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau, who beat McIlroy to claim last year’s US Open, sat a shot behind Rose while he 2019 Open winner Shane Lowry is also in contention after his 68.

McIlroy looked up at the leaderboard when he came into the press room but said: “I was just looking for my name. I was not really worried about the others!”

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