McIlroy Vows to Maintain Aggressive Approach with Historic Masters Lead

Rory McIlroy has pledged to maintain his aggressive mindset as he attempts to defend his title at The Masters, following a record-breaking halfway lead. The Northern Irishman carded a stunning round-of-the-day 65 on Friday to reach 12 under after 36 holes, six shots clear of his closest rivals, Americans Sam Burns and Patrick Reed. McIlroy's impressive display comes a year after he completed his career Grand Slam at Augusta National, ending an 11-year wait for his fifth major title. He also led by six shots at the halfway stage of his first major triumph, the 2011 US Open, where he went on to win by eight shots. When asked what advice he would give himself, McIlroy replied, 'Don't protect it, go out and play freely, keep swinging.' He emphasized the importance of not getting protective and instead focusing on making birdies and staying committed. McIlroy's strategy has been built on one of the most efficient performances of his career, with the world No 2 repeatedly recovering from trouble over the opening two rounds. He made birdies at three out of the four longer holes on Friday despite missing the fairway with his tee shots on all of them. McIlroy believes his efficiency is key to success at the professional level, saying, 'Hopefully, he saw that you don't have to be perfect to shoot good scores.' The 36-year-old has presented a more relaxed demeanor at this year's event, attributing his calmness to the feeling that he is 'playing with the house's money.' McIlroy revealed that this mindset has helped him overcome challenging moments, saying, 'When I miss fairways, it's fine. When I miss greens, it's fine. I feel like I'm sort of playing with the house's money, which is a nice feeling to have.'