Rory McIlroy moved into a commanding six-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Masters with a brilliant second-round 65 at Augusta National. The defending champion, who won his first Green Jacket in 2025, now sits at 12 under par and is in prime position to become only the fourth player in history to successfully defend the title. McIlroy's round featured a chip-in from 30 yards on the 17th hole and a closing birdie, capping a day in which he set a new Masters record for the largest 36-hole lead.
McIlroy began the day tied for the lead with Sam Burns but quickly asserted his dominance, reaching double digits under par with birdies at the 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th holes. His only bogeys came at the 5th and 6th, but he recovered superbly. "I have always wanted to put the Green Jacket on for a second time," said McIlroy, who now holds a six-shot advantage over the field.
Patrick Reed, the 2018 champion, is McIlroy's nearest challenger at six under after a 69. Reed dropped a shot at the last but remains a threat. Sam Burns, who matched McIlroy's opening 67, could only manage a 71 to join Reed on six under. European trio Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood are a further shot back at five under, with Lowry expressing satisfaction at securing a late tee time on Saturday.
Tyrrell Hatton continued his improved relationship with Augusta, shooting a 66 to move to four under. The Englishman, who previously struggled at the course, said: "It felt like a bit of a surprise I actually got it to seven under around this golf course with how I've previously struggled." Brooks Koepka, meanwhile, shrugged off pre-tournament criticism from Tom Watson, stating: "Everybody is entitled to their own opinion."
The cut fell at three over, with notable departures including Robert MacIntyre, Tom McKibbin, Cameron Smith and 66-year-old Fred Couples. Couples earned praise for outscoring 16 players. McIlroy, however, is the focus of attention as he seeks to become the first back-to-back champion since Tiger Woods in 2001-2002.
