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Rory McIlroy delivered a strong finish to the second round of the Masters on Friday, showing the poise of a seasoned champion. He birdied six of his last seven holes, carding a 7-under 65 and setting a new Masters record with a six-shot lead after 36 holes.
As the final hour unfolded, McIlroy began to pull away, turning the round into what looked like a victory lap.
Early on, McIlroy birdied three consecutive holes, matching strides with Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion. Reed birdied the par-3 12th hole to tie for the lead, prompting a tense battle amid Amen Corner. McIlroy admitted he didn’t expect to hold such a commanding lead at the 12th tee.
But soon, McIlroy was alone at the top. He made a precise tee shot over Rae’s Creek on the dangerous 12th hole, landing just 7 feet from the flag. Despite having to lay up from the trees on the par 5s, he birdied both. On the par-3 16th, he took advantage of a lower pin position for an easy birdie.
The crowd erupted when McIlroy chipped in from 30 yards on the 17th hole. Though he couldn’t see the ball drop over the green’s crest, the standing ovation from the gallery confirmed its success. “That’s a bonus,” he said.
He capped off his remarkable stretch with another perfect approach on 18 that rolled to within 6 feet for another birdie.
McIlroy’s 12-under total of 132 put him six shots clear of Reed (69) and Sam Burns (71). The previous largest 36-hole lead at Augusta was five shots, held by Jordan Spieth, Raymond Floyd, Jack Nicklaus, Herman Keiser, and Harry “Lighthorse” Cooper. All but Cooper went on to win the tournament.
If McIlroy maintains this lead, he’ll become just the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters, joining Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods.
Reflecting on his Masters history, McIlroy recalled his 2011 round when he had a two-shot lead after 36 holes but faltered in the final round with an 80 — the beginning of years of heartache at Augusta. However, he redeemed himself last year with a playoff victory.
“I know what can happen around here, good and bad,” he said with a smile. “You don’t have to remind me not to get ahead of myself. There’s a long way to go. I got off to an amazing start.”
The brighter, warmer weather and calmer wind conditions made scoring easier on Friday, as did more generous pin placements, particularly on the 16th and 18th holes.
Not everyone benefited. Bryson DeChambeau struggled with a second-round 76. He was near the cut line but failed to escape a greenside bunker on the 18th, leading to a triple bogey and missing the cut.
Reed remained bogey-free until the final hole, where a missed par cost him a chance to finish in the final pairing with McIlroy. Their last-group pairing in 2018 saw Reed defeat McIlroy comfortably.
Burns booked a spot alongside McIlroy by birdying his last two holes for a 71.
Justin Rose, who lost to McIlroy in last year’s playoff, had a difficult day with his putting but still shot 69, finishing at 5-under 139. He is seven shots back, tied with Shane Lowry (69) and Tommy Fleetwood, who posted two eagles en route to a 68.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler fell 12 shots behind after a tough day that included twice finding water on the back-nine par 5s and bogeys at both. He shot 74, his first round over par at the Masters in three years.