Rory McIlroy holds largest Masters lead ever

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Among the many guidelines at Augusta National — no cell telephones, no booing, no mendacity in the grass — patrons will not be allowed to run.

Somebody inform Rory McIlroy.

The defending Masters champion was sprinting away from the sector Friday, building a six-shot lead heading into the weekend and placing himself in prime place to change into the first repeat winner since Tiger Woods in 2002.

McIlroy atoned for two bogeys with 9 birdies, capturing a seven-under-par 65 to improve on his stellar 67 in the opening spherical.

At 12 under, he now holds the largest 36-hole lead in Masters historical past.

“When I was standing on the 12th tee, I didn’t imagine that I would be six ahead going into the weekend,” said McIlroy, who birdied six of the ultimate seven holes despite hitting into the trees on holes 13, 15 and 17.

“I’ve always had the ability to go on these runs … but it’s staying aggressive. My little mantra today was keep swinging, and keep swinging hard at it.”

And he accomplished that masterpiece in the afternoon, when the legendary course was even firmer and more slippery than it was in the morning. The heat climate and cloudless skies set the stage for a check of surgical precision in the ultimate two rounds.

“These greens are going to be concrete,” said Wyndham Clark, who adopted an even-par spherical with a four-under 68. “Obviously getting really fast without the wind, so it’s going to really matter hitting it in the fairway and the angles, and being patient.”

Fifty-four opponents from 15 different nations made the cut from a beginning discipline of 91.

Of his jaw-dropping ending scramble, McIlroy said: “The only way I can describe it is everything that you see or any situation that you come across, you can find a positive in it. And then you see birdies and you can see ways to make birdies. Hit it in the trees at 13, fine, I can make a birdie doing it this way. Hit it in the trees at 15, same thing.”

Whereas McIlroy created separation, Tyrrell Hatton made a case for inclusion. He was two over after Thursday but performed himself back into competition with a 66 on Friday, hitting all 18 greens in regulation and turning into just the third participant in 30 years to do that at the Masters. He is tied for seventh with Clark.

Patrick Reed, who shot a 69 in the first spherical, matched that in the second to declare a share of second place with Sam Burns.

Reed, who left for LIV Golf but announced in January he plans to return to the PGA Tour, performed golf regionally at Augusta State University and gained this match in 2018. He said that Masters expertise helps in a big means now.

Of profitable a inexperienced jacket, he said, “Until you do, you always have that little voice of doubt in the back of your mind.”

Justin Rose, who misplaced to McIlroy in a sudden-death playoff last 12 months, is in a three-way tie for fourth with Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood.

Patrick Reed hits off the 18th tee during the second spherical of the Masters on Friday.

(Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)

Asked if his near-miss in 2025 serves as further motivation this 12 months, Rose said: “Not really, if I’m honest. I don’t really need to try any harder, know what I mean? Trying harder ain’t going to help me.”

It was a tough day for Scottie Scheffler, ranked No. 1 in the world, as his 74 put him 12 pictures back of McIlroy.

Bryson DeChambeau was on the bubble all day before a triple-bogey seven on the 18th gap. He missed the cut six over.

Two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson missed the cut, as did 66-year-old Fred Couples, who was taking part in effectively Thursday until taking a quadruple-bogey 9 on the fifteenth gap.

McIlroy performed with 18-year-old beginner Mason Howell, who was sufficiently impressed as the defending champion birdied each of the ultimate 4 holes.

“You’ve got to stay in your own lane, but it’s hard not to watch that,” Howell said. “That chip-in on 17 was unreal. That was one of the coolest things I’ve seen in sports, and I got to witness it in person, so that was awesome.”