AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy’s bid to complete a career grand slam will have to wait yet another year, as the world’s No. 2 player is almost certain to miss the cut at the Masters for the second time in three years.

McIlroy needs a win at Augusta National to become only the sixth golfer to win all four majors, but he struggled mightily on Friday. He shot 77 to leave him at 5-over par through 36 holes – three shots behind the projected cut.

Several golfers were still on the course when play was briefly suspended because of a weather warning, but McIlroy’s chances of playing on the weekend appear all but over.

McIlroy was one of the favorites coming into the week after a second-place finish at last year’s Masters. But after shooting 72 on Thursday, nothing consistently went well for the Northern Irishman in Round 2, as he bogeyed four of his first seven holes to shoot 40 on the front nine.

The wheels appeared to completely fall off on No. 11 when he shanked his approach shot into the woods and was forced to take a drop, leading him to hang his head in disgust.

It wasn’t until the modified par-5 13th – the tee box has been pushed back about 35 yards – when McIlroy made his first birdie of the day. He made another on the 15th to get back to 3 over, but closed with bogeys on Nos. 16 and 18 to end a disappointing day.

This was McIlroy’s 15th appearance at the Masters, and he said earlier in the week he had “all of the ingredients” to win the tournament, but just needed to put them altogether.

That didn’t happen on Friday, as seven bogeys did him in.

His normally reliable driver abandoned him. He found the bunker on No. 2 and the trees on No. 7. His short game failed him, too, as he sent a short sand wedge over the back of the green on No. 3. And the putts simply weren’t falling.

This was the ninth time McIlroy has come to Augusta National looking fill the one void on his major resume. McIlroy has won the PGA Championship twice, along with the British Open and U.S. Open, but remains winless at the Masters – a course many believe is perfectly set up for him to succeed.

He has not won a major since the 2014 PGA Championship.

PHIL MICKELSON apparently remembers his way around Augusta National just fine.

Now, the question is whether he remembers how to win.

After a self-imposed exile from the Masters a year ago, the three-time champion followed his opening 71 with a 3-under 69 before play was suspended by storms. Mickelson, 52, heads into the weekend within striking distance of leader Brooks Koepka.

“I actually did not hit it anywhere near as well as I did yesterday, but I scored well. I got it up and down, made a lot of good putts,” Mickelson said. “I’m actually looking forward to the weekend. I know I’ve been hitting it, playing better than I’ve been scoring, and I’m looking forward to just putting one round together that I know I’m capable of.”

Mickelson missed the Masters last year after some remarks about those involved in LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit, which proceeded to give him a huge signing bonus to defect from the PGA Tour. His play hasn’t been particularly good, though, and he had broken 70 just twice in nine rounds across three events this season.

“Who knows when it will click? It could click tomorrow. I don’t know,” Mickelson said. “Part of it is just slowing my mind down and letting it happen, and then it clicks. But that’s kind of the biggest challenge in the game is not forcing it.”

Mickelson said his game has been close, and perhaps returning to Augusta was the final piece in making things click.

“This tournament, this course gives something for everybody to aspire to,” he said. “If you’re that kid and you’re dreaming of playing in the Masters and you want to win it, it gives you something to aspire to. It did for me.”

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