Every year golf fans hope for a weekend battle between some of the sport’s best stars at The Masters. That could finally be the case at the 89th edition of Augusta National, as Rory McIlroy rebounded from his terrible first-round finish with a strong second round to move within two shots of Justin Rose. But the Englishman must keep his focus high, as a slew of notable players are chasing him on the leaderboard. Bryson DeChambeau is one shot back in second, with Scottie Scheffler, Shane Lowry and Ludvig Aberg lurking just behind.
McIlroy produced seven birdies and an eagle on the par-five 13th hole in a bogey-free round of 6-under 66. That moved him into a tie for sixth, and put him in the final pairing with Rose on Saturday at Augusta. The Northern Irishman is desperate to exorcise the Masters demons that have haunted him over the years, and a win at the tournament would give him the career Grand Slam he craves.
Rose shook off his slow start with a bogey-free 71. He dominated the front nine, and had a chance to extend his lead on the 18th hole before a par saved him from a collapse. He is the only player in the field with a score under par for the tournament, and he faces an intense challenge from McIlroy, DeChambeau and the likes of Scheffler and Aberg.
Corey Conners and Scottie Scheffler both shot four-under 68s to make the cut. That left them at four-under, along with a host of other notable names. The top 50 and ties after three rounds advance to the final two rounds at Augusta National, with the cut line landing at 2 over this year.