The 18th hole was the only blemish on another incredible day for Rory McIlroy who stayed well ahead of the field after the second round of the US Open.The 22-year-old from Northern Ireland ripped apart a Congressional course that is tormenting the best players in the world.
And there were inevitable comparisons with Tiger Woods as McIlroy played impeccable golf, again hitting fairway after fairway.
His playing partners Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, among the pre-tournament favourites, were no more than a sideshow as the American crowd hailed another remarkable performance from McIlroy.
He even looked certain to improve on opening round of six-under-par until pulling a shot into the water on the 18th and taking a double-bogey six. It still left him with a round of 66 - 11 under par.
McIlroy told Sky Sports:"I got a bit of grass between the ball and the clubface and turned it over a bit. Unfortunately it went into the water. It would have been great to get up and down for bogey because bogies are very important here.
""But I've played 35 very good holes of golf and that's what I need to focus on. I am giving myself plenty of opportunities and I'm taking a few of them.
"It has been a great couple of days and now I just need to keep it going. I have to play aggressive way I've been playing and make a very committed swing."
Now the only question is whether McIlroy can last the pace after dominating the early stages of the Masters in similar style before collapsing on the final day. He faced his Masters demons within minutes of his spectacular disintegration in front of the watching golf world at Augusta.
Instead of running to hide and lick the wounds which had been inflicted so publicly that the CBS cameras took mercy upon - the young Irishman grew into a man in the moments he summoned every ounce of bravery to speak to the waiting media about his implosion.
He did so with grace, dignity and class which belied his tender years and it was the start of the hard work and rehabilitation.
Rather than try to forget the painful experience of tossing away the chance to win his first major, McIlroy has scrutinised every shot and sought as much advice required to move on from the kind of experience which would have crushed the vast majority.
His arrival at Congressional for the 2011 US Open was one of a player the public still believed was recuperating and did not really have a prayer of winning, but he has given a two-day exhibition of the game at its finest.
McIlroy has played faultless golf and equalled the record set by Gil Morgan 18-years ago to reach minus 10 in the US Open with an eagle two at the eighth hole. With two holes remaining he became the first player since Tiger Woods in 2000 to make it to -12. And another birdie at the 17th left him 13 under par and going into lunch with a ten shot lead.
He made the most of his early start with a barrage of crisp approach shots which barely missed a green and his putting, which has been his Achilles heel in recent months, has been far more solid.
The last two days have been as if Augusta never happened to him, but maybe now, as he moves to within the last two rounds that really matter, McIlroy will discover how well he has mastered those Masters demons.
Exhibition golf of the first two rounds, in which McIlroy has blazed a trail none of his opponents could live with, will be replaced by the need to find a way to win for a man who has flirted with Major glory in the past and failed.
He has led on the opening day of the last three majors and finished empty-handed.
So, behind the smiles of satisfaction for a job well-done so far, he will know that when the wheels come off it can result in an horrendous car-crash. He has not been forced to face any adversity and only when it comes will he know if he can cope.
The USGA will not want anyone to rip up their precious tournament and the flag positions will be cruel for the final 36 holes.
If it does go wrong for McIlroy, the likelihood is that it will go wrong for those that make the cut too.
Before the tournament began, experts were predicting -3 would be good enough to win. So at least he has plenty of shots in hand if things do start to unravel. At the moment, it doesn't look likely.
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Source: http://www.fanhouse.co.uk/2011/06/17/us-open-day-two-rory-mcilroy-powers-on-to-leave-the-worlds-bes/
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