Paul McGinley reflects on a second day of tough conditions at Augusta National and highlights the importance of bouncing back from inevitable mistakes at the Masters.
The most impressive thing for me about Rory McIlroy's second round was his mental resilience. It was a war of attrition out there, and this year's Masters is a very different test to 12 months ago.
Last year turned into a shoot-out and we saw record scoring, birdies and eagles all over the place. The conditions were benign, and the course played softer than in previous years.
But this week, the wind has got up and it's gusting to 20mph, and the course is playing so much more difficult as a result because it's much firmer and faster. Everybody is making bogeys, you can't get round Augusta without a couple of mistakes in these conditions.
So it's a real test of resilience and your ability to bounce back from the bogeys and double-bogeys that every player in the field cannot avoid. Earlier in the week, I spoke about the importance of knowing when to attack and when to hold back. But when Augusta is playing this tough, finding that balance becomes even more vital as every mistake is accentuated.
You can still attack 13 and 15 if you get a good drive away, and there's a few holes playing downwind. Players are going into the ninth with wedges, and 14, 17 and 18 are also playing reasonably short.
But the first, fourth and fifth have been particularly brutal, and you can go through the whole course and find dangers. You have to accept you are not going to make many birdies, and the chances of making more bogeys than birdies are greater.
There's been a lot of talk about making courses longer because of how far the professionals are hitting it these days - putting a new tee in to lengthen the 13th here has been widely mentioned.
But the biggest test for the pros is not length, it is getting to grips with firm greens and fairways. And when you add a swirling breeze like we've had here for two days, those three factors have combined to have a huge effect on the scoring. That's why only seven players are under par after 36 holes.
Rory's second round was all the more impressive considering the conditions and the overall scoring, and his 71 was the joint low round of the day and one of only four sub-par scores.
Arnold Palmer once said: "The greatest gift you need mentally in this game is the ability to forget". That's what Rory McIlroy did today. He was two over for his round after a bogey at 11, but he had the mental strength to bounce back with three birdies coming in.
When Augusta is like this, you have to accept you're going to make bogeys and you need to go to the next tee with a clear head. It's a lot easier said than done, but having that ability is what separates the great players from the rest.
With Rory playing with Jordan Spieth in the final group on Saturday we're in for a great weekend, and we could see the course playing a little easier if the forecast is right. The wind is predicted to drop a little, and I would expect the set-up to be friendlier on Sunday in particular.
They will probably soften the greens a little and choose pin positions that will yield more birdies and eagles, especially on the back nine. That will create atmosphere and the opportunity for someone to come out of the field and make a run.
We should see some more aggressive golf this weekend, and you can catch all the action with myself, Ewen, Butch, Monty, Boxy and Rich Beem on Sky Sports.