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Here\u2019s Ewan Murray\u2019s report live from Augusta. That\u2019s it for the blog today. Thanks for reading and join us again for Saturday\u2019s third round.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n A calm and relaxed Rory McIlroy reflects on his stunning start. Asked to explain it, the defending champions pauses for thought and then hits his stride.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, I don\u2019t know. I was really good with the wedges today. I\u2019ve been really good with my wedges and my short game the past two days. That\u2019s been the bulk of my score. I haven\u2019t panicked when I\u2019ve hit it offline and into trees. I\u2019ve laid it up. I\u2019ve relied on those wedges and those scoring clubs.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd this course, it enables you to get on runs. I certainly didn\u2019t imagine birdies in six of the last seven, but I\u2019ve always felt like when you\u2019re feeling it around here, you can get momentum and the crowd gets on your side and you can just keep it rolling. And this afternoon was one of those afternoons.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, I\u2019ve always loved this tournament. I\u2019ve always loved this golf course, even when I felt like it didn\u2019t love me back. And look, it\u2019s such a pleasure to be here. It\u2019s a unique tournament. There\u2019s nothing else like this that we play.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I so desperately wanted to win here just so I could come back each and every year. And thankfully, I was able to do that last year. So doing that, yeah, when I miss fairways, it\u2019s fine. When I miss greens, it\u2019s fine. I feel like I\u2019m sort of playing with the house\u2019s money, which is a nice feeling to have.<\/p>\n \u201cI did a good job. I hit more fairways today than I did yesterday, so that was good. That was one of my key goals today, was just to try to get it in play a little bit more. And yeah, I think, again, just making good decisions. Really, the way the golf course is playing, you really have to think your way around, creating angles for yourself to hit these third shots into par fives, stuff like that.<\/p>\n \u201cSo if I can just keep thinking well and making good decisions with whatever\u2019s put in front of me and really just keep putting one foot in front of the other, hopefully do that for the weekend and hopefully everything works out.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n For a player who thrives on confidence more than almost any other golfer, there was always a scenario where Rory McIlroy went back to Augusta and, rid of the demons, left everyone else in his wake. And, so far, that\u2019s the story unfolding. This is the Rory of 2014 when he won the final two majors of the year after winning his first two in 2011 and 2012. It\u2019s not done yet but six shots \u2026 wow \u2026 that\u2019s a huge lead. McIlroy in this mood will be incredibly hard to stop. After all those past traumas here and going through the ringer before getting over the line last year, is this Rory saying he\u2019s tamed Augusta National. Or is there a twist coming over the weekend?<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Rory McIlroy opens up six-shot lead after Friday 65<\/p>\n McIlroy stalks his tickly downhill putt. He\u2019s absolutely on fire right now so there\u2019s no way this is going anywhere but underground. And in it goes, the four-footer completing a round of 7-under 65 which included a sensational run of six birdies in the last seven holes. He has a commanding six-shot lead over American duo Sam Burns and Patrick Reed.<\/p>\n -12: McIlroy Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.55 EDT<\/p>\n Another way of framing McIlroy\u2019s position is that he\u2019s 11 clear of Scottie Scheffler. Six players have held a five-shot lead at halfway in the Masters and five went on to win. After finding the fairway, Rory goes in to 18 with a 5-iron from 147 yards. His ball catches the slope and runs back to around five feet. He\u2019s on track to become the first player in history to lead the event by six after 36 holes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.50 EDT<\/p>\n Cam Young has played the last four holes in -4 and still lost ground to playing partner McIlroy over that stretch. Remarkable. Young is seven back and in a six-way tie for seventh as he and McIlroy head to the 18th.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Let\u2019s recap. After looking a little wobbly with bogeys at 5 and 10, McIlroy has gone birdie-birdie-par-birdie-birdie-birdie from the 12th. Amazing stuff.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n My word Rory! McIlroy is in tree trouble down the left at 17 so can only punch one back into the fairway. It\u2019s no easy up and down from short and right of the green but\u2026 he chips in for birdie!! Huge roars!!! McIlroy raises the magical wedge to the skies with his left hand and then punches the air with his right. Is this thing over? Rory is walking on water and leads the Masters by a massive five-shot margin.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.36 EDT<\/p>\n Bryson DeChambeau misses cut<\/p>\n Up at 18, Bryson DeChambeau is floundering. The two-time US Open champion needs bogey at the par 4 to make the cut but finds himself in sand after three shots. Up and down gets him into the weekend but he splashes out too far right and his ball trickles off the green. The Hail Mary chip-in attempt never has a chance and he takes two more putts to rack up a triple-bogey 7. One of the pre-tournament favourites is heading home.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.29 EDT<\/p>\n Young also hits an excellent tee-shot at 16 but the birdie streak ends at four as his six-foot putt somehow turns away from the hole when heading in. Rory holes and is four clear! That\u2019s four birdies in five. Leader Board update!<\/p>\n -10: McIlroy (16) Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rory is on the charge! At the par-3 16th, his tee-shot is just left enough to avoid staying up on the top shelf. His ball unsticks itself from the green after the shock of impact, slowly gathers momentum and then accelerates down the slope to a couple of feet away. And that\u2019s going to be a dramatic swing. Reed bogeys the last for a 69 after, surprisingly for him, failing to get up and down and when Rory knocks that in, the defending champ will be four clear! Fleetwood also bogeys 18 to fall back alongside Ryder Cup teammates Rose and Lowry at -5.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n At 15, it\u2019s a putting masterclass from McIlroy and Young. Young\u2019s second bounds over the putting surface and, mindful of chipping back towards a green with water on the other side, he plays a careful third. No matter, he curls in the putt from just inside 25 feet for a fourth straight birdie and he\u2019s up to -4. McIlroy follows him in from 12 feet and Rory pulls two clear again at the top, hitting 9-under.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n A new fifth paragraph to Ewan Murray\u2019s Robert MacIntyre story. <\/p>\n \u201cAugusta officials are likely to take a dim view of a MacIntyre social media post on Friday evening, which depicted an AI-generated image of himself as the iconic Masters gnome making an offensive gesture.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Patrick Reed has missed several good opportunities for further gains on the second nine but he walks in his birdie putt from 14 feet at 17 to move within a shot of the lead. And look out for Shane Lowry all of a sudden. The 2019 Open champion has been hanging around on the fringes but he birdies 16 and 18 to sign for a well-played 69 that puts him at 5-under and in a tie for fifth.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n While the back nine has been a disaster for Bhatia, Cam Young is showing that Augusta\u2019s inward half also offers plenty of birdie chances. Although he bogeyed 10, the Sawgrass winner has birdied 12, 13 and 14. He\u2019s down the right of the fairway at the par-5 15th but will be plotting a fourth straight gain as he strolls down the fairway to reach his ball. Young, who was +4 after nine holes of this Masters, is now -3 and tied 12th. Talking of swings in momentum, the aforementioned Bhatia now holes his bunker shot at 17 to breathe new life into his fast-vanishing hopes of making the cut.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Left-handers have a strong record at Augusta (Mike Weir, Bubba, Mickelson) and Akshay Bhatia was fancied by some to produce another win for the southpaws this week. He was going nicely after a three-under 33 on the front nine took him to 2-under. But his second nine has been a disaster: double bogey, bogey, bogey, double bogey, par, par, bogey. That\u2019s seven shots gone in no time and suddenly he\u2019s outside the cut line at +5.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Fleetwood is putting down the Cresta Run at 16 after leaving his tee-shot up top. There\u2019s no chance of leaving his first putt short but he somehow doesn\u2019t let it escape too far beyond the cup and holes the one back for a sturdy, well-made par. Augusta also shows off its extreme slopes at 14 as McIlroy\u2019s approach isn\u2019t near enough to the left flag and skittles off and away like a startled rabbit down the green. But he hits a super lag putt to kick-in distance and remains at -8, two clear.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Sam Burns posts new clubhouse lead<\/p>\n A sprint finish from Sam Burns and the American suddenly takes the lead in the clubhouse at -6 after birdies at 15, 17 and 18. That\u2019s a superb recovery after he took six swipes at 13 to go 2-over for the day. The American had a piece of the lead after both 36 and 54 holes at last June\u2019s US Open before getting unlucky with the weather and finishing seventh. He\u2019s got another shot at a first major title this weekend.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n More crystal for Tommy Fleetwood! After an eagle at 8, he makes his second of the day at 15 after curling in a right-to-lefter from 16 feet. That elevates the Englishman to tied second and just one back. For now at least. Back on the other par 5 at 13, Cam Young cashes in on his lucky break to get up and down for birdie. That\u2019s the Players Championship winner up to -2 and tied 15th. Can Rory follow him in for birdie? He can! McIlroy has an aura of calm about him again, his movements slowed down. Once more, Rory has increased his lead back to two shots.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Cameron Young\u2019s second to 13 bounces on the edge of the green and looks a certainly to roll off into Rae\u2019s Creek. But in echoes of Fred Couples at 12 in 1992 his ball somehow clings on. Had the mower been set a quarter-of-an-inch shorter and that would have been a watery grave. Young realises and does a double fist celebration back down the fairway. Meanwhile, playing partner McIlroy ignores the oohs and aahs and hits a beautiful approach with his third and now has a good chance to make birdie.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n At 13, McIlroy stands in the pine straw and peeks through the trees. He\u2019s not going to pull a Mickelson from 2010 though and just bunts one down the fairway. Reed is deeper in the forest at 15 but the branches on the trees at Augusta are high not low so he also finds a way back to the fairway with a firm punch. Fleetwood does have the chance to go for the green in two at 15 and launches a heart-in-the-mouth fairway wood high into the Augusta skies. It\u2019s just got enough to hold the front edge although needs a \u201cstay there\u201d from Butch Harmon in commentary to stop rolling back disobediently.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Problems for the two leaders. McIlroy can\u2019t get his tee shot at 13 to turn and blocks it deep into the trees. Reed, meanwhile, duckhooks his drive at 15 into all sorts of trouble. Both are par 5s I guess. Reitan also finds trouble at the last and signs off with a bogey. Still, that\u2019s an excellent round of 68 for the Norwegian and, as it stands, he\u2019s in a tie for fifth halfway through his first Masters.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n McIlroy strokes in his birdie putt at 12 to put the first circle on his card since the 4th. He leads on his own again although Reed has a birdie chance up at the 14th after a fine approach to a back-left flag. He can\u2019t make it though. Leader Board time.<\/p>\n -7: McIlroy (12) Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rory now playing 12, Golden Bell. The winds can swirly mysteriously at Amen Corner but it\u2019s dead calm now and McIlroy takes advantage, plonking his wedge to around six feet on the par 3 with the angled green. A great birdie chance. Is this where he presses the accelerator again? The par 5s at 13 and 15 are coming up shortly so Rory hopefully has some positive thoughts rushing through his mind as he walks to that serene corner of the course (12th green and 13th tee) where patrons aren\u2019t allowed.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s Ewan Murray live from Augusta on a not very chatty Robert MacIntyre. The Scot will be missing the cut.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Fleetwood\u2019s trousers are extremely baggy it has to be said. Suggs would have enjoyed singing about them and they\u2019re the sort of oversized flappers you catch Ernie Els wearing when looking at footage from the Byron Nelson in the 1990s. Thankfully the winds are down so Tommy can strut around like a young MC Hammer, knowing the gusts won\u2019t affect him. In other news, he\u2019s just had to settle for par at 13 so remains at -4. Reed had a putt to take the lead on his own at the same hole but he too needed five swishes so stays tied with Rory, who has just made a solid par at 11.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n McIlroy\u2019s par putt at 10 lips out so that\u2019s a bogey. It drops him back into a tie for the lead with Reed at -6. After three birdies in his first four holes, Rory has now played the last five in -2. Hmmm.<\/p>\n Matt Cooper, who was on blog duty yesterday, is a Reitan fan and has just furnished me with a few more details about the Norwegian. \u201cHis family own Reitan Retail which is a leading company in the Nordic and Baltic countries. They\u2019re essentially supermarket tycoons. The family are members at Valderrama. Scandinavian golf journalists say that they fly a private jet down to the south of Spain for 18 holes.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Reitan\u2019s charge continues and almost takes a spectacular boost at 16. He makes a fourth straight birdie when picking up a shot at the par-5 15th and then his tee-shot at the short 16th takes one hop and Rick O\u2019Shea\u2019s back off the flag. From 15 feet he can\u2019t make the putt but a par keeps him tied third with Justin Rose. Reitan won his first DP World Tour event, the 2025 Soudal Open, with a closing 62 so he knows how to get on a roll.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n McIlroy\u2019s lead is down to a single stroke as Reed birdies 12. What a pairing that would be tomorrow. Memories of the 2016 Ryder Cup at Hazeltine when both were pumped to the max before Reed won an epic Singles battle on the final hole. Both already have green jackets and, as I write this, Justin Rose is talking about his bid to join the club. He\u2019s clearly happy with his game and position but says he just wants to \u201cputt a little freer\u201d. It\u2019s a fair assessment as Rose currently ranks 65th in round two\u2019s Strokes Gained: Putting stats.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n What of Cameron Young and Matt Fizpatrick \u2013 the two players who fought out the dramatic finish at The Players Championship? Both were fancied to challenge here but had difficult first rounds. Young, the eventual winner at Sawgrass, was a bit of a shambles over his opening nine holes yesterday when going out in 4-over 40. But he came home in 33 to limit the damage to a 1-over 73 and has picked up another couple of shots today to get into the red. At -1 he\u2019s now tied 18th. Fitzpatrick, who won the Valspar Championship a week after being pipped by Young at Sawgrass, doubled the 18th yesterday to shoot 74 and started slowly today. But he\u2019s birdied 8, 9 and 11 (moments ago) to return to even par (tied 23rd).<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Both Reed and Fleetwood miss the green right at 11 and have short-sided themselves with the flag on the front right. But the Ryder Cup rivals both hole testy par putts to remain at -5 and -4 respectiely. Leader Board time.<\/p>\n -7: McIlroy (9) Share<\/a><\/p>\n Perhaps the biggest danger to McIlroy is the lurking Xander Schauffele. A two-time major winner in 2024, the Californian has been craftily plotting his way around Augusta National like a classy Grand National winner being held up at Aintree (the big race is tomorrow, folks!). But he\u2019ll now be getting a mention from Peter O\u2019Sullevan after making ground with birdies at 8 and 10. Still lots of fences to jump but Schauffele is just three off the pace and going nicely.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n There are 22 debutants in this year\u2019s Masters and all will have been reminded over and over that there hasn\u2019t been a first-time winner of the event since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. In truth, it was pretty amazing that Zoeller won that green jacket 47 years ago. Basically, Ed Sneed absolutely threw it away with a trio of closing bogeys, his par putt on 18 hanging on the lip before he lost in a three-way playoff against Zoeller and Tom Watson. Check it out on YouTube<\/a>. Anyway, back to this year and we have a debutant in the mix: Norway\u2019s Kristoffer Reitan. A real bloomer in the last couple of years, the 28-year-old from Oslo has reeled of a hat-trick of birdies at 12, 13 and 14 to move into a tie for fourth at -4, just three back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.10 EDT<\/p>\n McIlroy drops to his knees as his lengthy birdie putt from just off the green at 8 tracks towards the hole but misses by a whisker left. He\u2019d been rather all over the place on that hole so a par is fine. Tommy Fleetwood is certainly going in the right direction after following eagle at 8 with an 18-footer for birdie at 10. He\u2019s up to tied fourth.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rory\u2019s drive at the par-5 8th finds sand down the right \u2013 a common destination. He plays out and then takes his hand off the club as he hits a draw towards the green with his third. He\u2019s overcooked it long and left so has some work to do to make par on a hole he would have been looking to birdie. It\u2019s just turned a little awkward. Would Rory shake your hand if you offered him the chance to finish on -7, the score he has now?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Datagolf produce live cutline probabilities. As we stand, these are the numbers being spat out.<\/p>\n +3 \u2013 12.6% Those already done for the day at +5: 2016 Masters winner Danny Willett, US Open champ J.J. Spaun and England\u2019s Harry Hall. Nicolai Hojgaard (+6) and Robert MacIntyre (+7) definitely won\u2019t be around for the weekend.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rory McIlroy leads the Masters but there are a few troubling signs creeping in. He\u2019s hit a couple of poor wedges in the last three holes and his unconvincing waft at 7 \u2013 which leaves his scratching the back of his head \u2013 lands him in a bunker. Thankfully, his short game has no interest in a bogey so he splashes out for a tap-in par to stay two clear of fellow major winners Rose, Day and Reed. Day has joined the -5s after birdies at 8 and 9.<\/p>\n Rory McIlroy is having a bit of a wobble. Only a bit, mind. Photograph: Kylie Cooper\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a016.34 EDT<\/p>\n The hottest man on the course is China\u2019s Haotong Li whose scorecard now looks like Sungjae Im\u2019s shirt. A run of birdie-birdie-birdie-birdie from 13 to 16 has taken Li to -4 and into a tie for sixth. We shouldn\u2019t be surprised to see him on a major leaderboard though. The 30-year-old finished solo third in the 2017 Open Championship after closing with a 63 while he was tied fourth at Royal Portrush last summer. Up at 18 Scheffler\u2019s birdie try drifts right so it\u2019s a round of 2-over 74. Disappointing. In fact, it\u2019s his second highest score in 26 laps of Augusta National and he walks off to sign his card in a tie for 22nd place.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n McIlroy looks puzzled as his 12-footer at 6 starts left and drifts even more left. But no such bemusement for Tommy Fleetwood at 8 as he smashes his second onto the green and drains a 19-foot putt for eagle. That vaults him from -1 to -3 and into the top 10. And, of course, it\u2019s more crystal for the mantlepiece. Jack Nicklaus is inundated with the stuff after making 24 eagles in his Masters career. I wonder what he\u2019s done with it all. Special trophy cabinet? Donated it to quiz shows?<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n As McIlroy hits his 9-iron at the steep downhill par-3 6th \u2013 a hole that TV flattens out ridiculously \u2013 let\u2019s pause for a leaderboard update. Here is your top 12. McIlroy hit an excellent tee shot by the way and has a 12 footer for birdie.<\/p>\n -7: McIlroy (5) Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.29 EDT<\/p>\n So what of Scheffler at 15? It was a case, literally, of rinse and repeat. As at 13, he found water with his second and, once more, failed to retrieve the damage and took bogey. A pair of 6s on the two second-nine par 5s is basically a four-shot swing. Scheffler, as he\u2019s been for the last two events, is now outside the top 20 and seven off McIlroy\u2019s lead. Better news for the 2023 Masters winner Jon Rahm. Sort of. A 78 in round one just about killed his chances but he\u2019s here for the weekend at least after responding with a 2-under 70. That\u2019s a massive 11 back.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Justin Rose shoots 69<\/p>\n Justin Rose has a treacherous downhiller at 18 after finding the top level. He\u2019s not in Hatton country though and can tickle this one down the slope on a more conventional line. He does a great job of it and taps in the second putt for a 69 to add to his opening 70. With Rory giving one back at 5, Rose is just two behind and in the hunt yet again to try and win his first Masters.<\/p>\n Justin Rose finishes the day on five under par. Photograph: H\u00e9ctor Vivas\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.16 EDT<\/p>\n In golf\u2019s \u2018Glass Half Empty\u2019 Power Rankings, Tyrrell Hatton is clearly No 1. The Englishman is informed that\u2019s he\u2019s become just the third player in 30 years at The Masters<\/a> to hit all 18 greens in regulation. But, no, why focus on that and a round of 66 when you\u2019ve just bogeyed the last.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m pretty disappointed standing here right now,\u201d says Hatton. \u201cI\u2019d have loved to have at least made par on the last, but there was a lot of good golf today. Yeah, making seven birdies out there is not an easy thing to do.<\/p>\n \u201cI definitely feel like the course played a little bit easier this morning. I guess they watered the greens quite a bit yesterday. It certainly was a tough afternoon in round one, but yeah, happy with how I played and hopefully I can play well this weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked what he\u2019s learned over the last 10 years to be able to produce this level of golf, Hatton responds: \u201cWell, clearly I haven\u2019t learned enough with the three putt on the last, so I don\u2019t know. I guess that this is my 10th time here and a lot of the tee shots I feel more comfortable on. The last few years I\u2019ve driven the ball pretty well.<\/p>\n \u201cYou see today my own play was a lot better. I feel like I definitely struggled yesterday, but yeah, hopefully I keep hitting greens and it\u2019ll be nice to see some putts go in. With a fast course and fast greens, it\u2019s going to be a weekend where emotions are going to be running high.\u201d<\/p>\n But Hatton knows the deal here, knows how his mind works and finds it hard to suppress a smile when asked how he\u2019ll stay positive and patient for the weekend. \u201cI don\u2019t think me being positive and being patient mix very well, but I\u2019ll try my best. See if I hit good golf shots, then that\u2019s the best way to keep myself calm, so I\u2019ll try to do that.\u201d You\u2019ve got to love that level of misery!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Last year\u2019s 1-2 are currently this year\u2019s 1-2. That\u2019ll be Rory McIlroy (-8) and Justin Rose (-5). But what of the man who played alongside Rory in that momentous final round 12 months ago? Bryson DeChambeau briefly took the outright lead on Sunday in 2025 before stumbling but here he\u2019s a whopping 12 shots back after shooting a 76 in round one and playing his first five holes today in even par.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Tyrrell Hatton shoots 66<\/p>\n It\u2019s a frustrating three-putt bogey for Tyrrell Hatton at 18 but that\u2019s still his best round at Augusta National by two shots. The 66 has lifted him into tied fourth which is currently three behind Rory McIlroy. Wait\u2026 make that four shots as the defending champ pours in his 20 foot left-to-righter at 4 for a third straight birdie. What a start for the 2025 winner! He hits -8 and this is getting uncomfortable for the chasing pack.<\/p>\n A great day for Tyrrell Hatton. Photograph: Erik S Lesser\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.58 EDT<\/p>\n Scottie Scheffler finds water again! This time he fires his 241-yard 3-iron second at the par-5 15th over the putting surface and, although there\u2019s quite an expanse of grass behind that raised par 5 green, the attempted fade turns into a slinging double cross that bounds hard and fast down the slope and into the wet stuff. Deary me. These are not the mistakes we associate with the World No 1 in majors but he\u2019s looked \u2018off\u2019 for the last few months and it\u2019s catching up with him here.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The ideal start for any player at Augusta is to play the first three holes in -2. The opener is a tough par 4, the second is a par five reachable in two blows and the short par-4 third, though tricky, is a definite birdie chance if you\u2019re in place to hit a delicate second. Rory McIlroy does just that, tapping in for his birdie at 3 to secure the desired 4-4-3 sequence. Last year\u2019s winner leads the Masters by two shots!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Tyrrell Hatton hits his 18th green of the day! That\u2019s a rare feat at Augusta National. Having said that, he\u2019d bite your hand off for a par at the last after his approach stays up on the top shelf, meaning he\u2019ll have one of those weird, Dali-type wonky putts where he might have to stand sideways to the hole.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Of the 11 players at the top of the leaderboard, seven are major winners. That\u2019ll be McIlroy, Rose, Clark, Reed, Koepka, Lowry and Day. I quite like Day\u2019s outfit today. Blue slacks, pale yellow shirt and visor. Very 80s Masters. I think he\u2019s loaned his garish bird shirt to Sungjae Im for round two. You\u2019re never going to win a major with an avian collage like that so it was a smart decision. That said, Im did shoot a 69 although he\u2019s down in 32nd on the current Leader Board.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Rory\u2019s back in front! Perhaps it was four feet but he puts a firm stroke on his putt at 2 and the birdie lifts him to -6 and one clear. Tyrrell Hatton\u2019s birdie try at 17 from around 18 feet just lacks enough pace to hold its line so he taps in for par to stay at -5. The group at -5 now extends to three as Rose gets up and down impressively at 15 after airmailing his approach long while Burns sinks his birdie effort at 7.<\/p>\n -6: McIlroy (2) Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a014.26 EDT<\/p>\n More par 5 action now and it\u2019s contrasting news for Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. Scheffler goes for it in two at the 13th but pushes his approach enough for the ball to bound into Rae\u2019s Creek. From there his short game can\u2019t save the day so a \u20186\u2019 is scribbled on a hole where he would have expected two shots better. He drops to -1 and four off the pace. Back at 2, Rory has to lay up but floats a masterful wedge onto the green which trickles back to three feet or so. It\u2019s a slippery one but you\u2019d fancy him to make it.<\/p>\n
-6: Burns, Reed
-5: Rose, Lowry, Fleetwood
-4: Clark, Hatton, Li, Reitan, Day, Young<\/p>\n
-6: Burns (F), Reed (F)
-5: Rose (F), Lowry (F), Fleetwood (F)
-4: Clark (F), Hatton (F), Li (F), Reitan (F), Day (F), Young (16)<\/p>\n
-6: Reed (14)
-5: Rose (F), Reitan (17), Day (14)
-4: Clark (F), Hatton (F), Li (F), Burns (16), Fleetwood (14)
-3: Gotterup (F), Koepka (F), Griffin (F), Lowry (15)<\/p>\n
-5: Rose (F), Reed (11)
-4: Clark (F), Hatton (F), Li (F), Reitan (14), Day (12), Fleetwood (11), Schauffele (10)
-3: Gotterup (F), Koepka (F), Griffin (F), Burns (13), Lowry (12)<\/p>\n
+4 \u2013 86.3%
+5 \u2013 1.1%<\/p>\n
-5: Rose (F), Burns (10)
-4: Clark (F), Hatton (F), Li (16), Day (8), Reed (7)
-3: Gotterup (F), Koepka (F), Griffin (17), Lowry (8)<\/p>\n
-5: Hatton (17), Rose (15), Burns (7)
-4: Clark (F), Reed (4)<\/p>\n