Masters Tournament rookie Bradley Neil eagles No. 2 again

Bradley Neil continues to find magic on No. 2. Apparently all he needs is Rory McIlroy nearby.

During Monday’s practice round with McIlroy, the 19-year-old Scot holed out from about 90 yards for an eagle. Neil said he did the trick a few weeks ago from 93 yards at the same hole. McIlroy was around then, too.

“He couldn’t stop laughing because, that day that I met him here, I did the exact same thing, and he was on the third tee,” Neil said.

Neil qualified for his first Masters Tournament by winning the British Amateur. He said the practice-round pairing with McIlroy was pre-arranged.

“At the Ryder Cup he said, ‘We’ll try to get nine holes in,’ ” Neil said. “I saw him a couple of weeks ago here, had lunch with him and he just said, ‘What’s your schedule for that week?’ ”

By playing with the four-time major champion, Neil teed off from No. 1 in front of what he said will probably be his biggest crowd all week.

“It was good for me to get that out of the way and play in front of that many people,” Neil said.

He said the biggest thing in his learning curve at Augusta National Golf Club was to be confident with whatever he chooses for a shot.

“A lot of times on the course, you can question yourself and what you’re doing,” Neil said. “If you’ve got a distance, you’ve got a club, just fully commit to it. Just go with it – don’t doubt yourself at all.”

Neil seemed to be impressed by McIlroy, who he thinks could be high up the leaderboard Sunday, right from the start.

While Neil was happy just to get his first shot off the tee and in the middle, he said McIlroy hit his tee shot by him.

“I’m just like, ‘This guy’s good, isn’t he?’ ” said Neil, earning laughs.