Open Championship: Rory McIlroy delighted to be over Friday problems
Last Updated: 19/07/14 4:08pm
Open Championship leader Rory McIlroy found an "inner peace" on the Royal Liverpool links which he believed put an end to his Freaky Friday reputation.
The Northern Irishman carded a second successive 66 to move to 12 under, four shots clear of American Dustin Johnson.
His second round had been built up into something much more significant than it should have been because of the problems he has had in following one good 18 holes with another.
"I just feel like I have an inner peace on the golf course. I'm very comfortable in this position, doing what I'm doing right now," said McIlroy, who is bidding to become only the third person to win a third major by the age of 25 after Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
"It's hard to describe. I wish I could get into it more often. If I'm able to do it a few times a year, that's nice.
Mentally strong
"It's a combination of confidence, just being mentally strong, mentally aware of everything, but I think it all comes down to if you're confident with your game and you're in control of your ball out there it makes things a lot easier.
"I just take it as I feel it. I've got a couple of little trigger words that I'm using this week that I keep telling myself in my head when I'm just about to hit it, go into a shot. That's as complex as it gets in my head. People call it the zone; it's just a state of mind where you think clearly.
"It's nice to go out and shoot a good one today so I don't have to be asked about it (his second round syndrome) again until I might shoot a good score at Akron (the WGC Bridgestone Invitational) and then people are asking me on Thursday afternoon.
"It's understandable. My second rounds this year have been terrible and there isn't really any explanation but hopefully I put it to bed today."
McIlroy said he was happy with his game and it showed even after he bogeyed the first hole.
It took him until the par-five fifth to regain that lost ground but from there he did not look back as it began a run of seven birdies in his last 14 holes.
Right track
"Everything seems to be on the right track. I've always said, whenever you play this well you always wonder how you've played so badly before," he added.
"And whenever you've play so badly, you always wonder how you play so well. Golf is a very fickle game. I'm happy where my game is at the minute and hopefully I can just keep up the solid play for another couple of days.
"As I said yesterday you try to enjoy every minute of it, even if sometimes it feels like a bit of a grind and you're working extremely hard to keep it together or try to make some more birdies or whatever it is.
"But the atmosphere out there is incredible. To be able to play in front of crowds like that you have to enjoy it. It makes it easier when you are shooting 66s and you are in the lead.
"Yeah, I've been in this position before in major championships but I haven't been in this position in the Open Championship. I'm just really looking forward to the weekend and hopefully continuing the strong play that you've seen so far."