Rory McIlroy needs to win the Masters Tournament to become the sixth man in history to complete the career grand slam in golf.
He's in the best position through 36 holes since 2016, when he was in solo second, one shot behind Jordan Spieth.
But McIlroy has had chances to win the Masters before, and he's always been turned away, either by a player catching fire to pass or stay ahead of him, or by self-destructing.
Which will it be? Even he's not sure.
"Golf tournaments are so long, and there's so much that can happen, even in the next 36 holes," McIlroy said on Friday after a bogey-free 66 that put in him a tie for third with Corey Conners at 6-under-par 138, two shots behind Justin Rose and one behind Bryson DeChambeau.
McIlroy at least showed some fight after a disappointing first round in which he was 4-under and three off the lead before making double bogeys at Nos. 15 and 17 for a 72. He caught fire on the first portion of the second nine, making four 3s in a row: birdie, birdie, par, eagle.
"My mindset was ... I probably need to get to somewhere between 12- and 15-under to win this tournament," he said. "There was plenty of time to do that ... just about staying patient. I don't think I proved anything. If anything, I just backed up the belief that I have in myself, and I — and the belief that I'm as resilient as anyone else out here. I've been really proud of how resilient I've been the whole way throughout my career, and I think today was just another example of that."
The world is waiting for some of that resilience from McIlroy on a late Sunday Augusta afternoon.
Rory McIlroy’s close calls at the Masters
2011: In his third career start at Augusta, McIlroy led or shared the lead after each of the first three rounds, and entering the final round, he was tied with Angel Cabrera at 12-under, four shots clear of three players. McIlroy led by three shots at the turn but pulled his tee shot at No. 10 into the cabins on the left and made a triple-bogey, then four-putted No. 12 for double bogey and shot 80, dropping into a tie for 15th.
2015: McIlroy posted two good weekend scores but he was too far behind to make a run. He shot 68-66 and finished solo fourth, six shots behind Spieth. McIlroy trailed by 10 going into the final round.
2016: McIlroy shot 77-71 on the weekend after trailing Spieth by only one shot. Danny Willett wound up winning when Spieth collapsed on No. 12 on Sunday.
2018: McIlroy fired a bogey-free 65 in the third round and trailed Patrick Reed by three ...
