As the sun set on a dramatic Friday at Augusta National, Scottie Scheffler found himself resting under a magnolia tree to the left of the 18th fairway, waiting for a rules official. He looked like someone who simply needed a moment to breathe, but with the weekend looming, the action at the Masters was only heating up.
At the top of the leaderboard, Justin Rose, with his steady 1-under 71, had earned the 36-hole lead for the third time in his career. At 44, the Englishman is hoping to become the second-oldest Masters winner in history, behind only Jack Nicklaus.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy, aiming to complete his career Grand Slam, ignited hopes with a sensational back nine. A birdie-birdie-par-eagle stretch set the stage for a bogey-free 66, vaulting him back into contention. The momentum was palpable.
Bryson DeChambeau, who has struggled with Augusta’s greens in the past, appeared to have found a formula for success. His 68 left him just one shot behind Rose, with a newfound putting touch making him a serious threat.
Defending champion Scheffler, however, had to battle through some tough conditions, particularly the fierce winds. Despite making five bogeys over his final 12 holes, including a scrambling effort after an awkward chip from under the magnolia tree, Scheffler ended the day only three strokes behind with a 71.
“We’ve got a great golf course, and conditions should be really good,” Scheffler said. “It’s shaping up to be a fun weekend.”
With 16 players within five shots of the lead, the weekend was wide open. Nine of those were major champions, with three having previously won at Augusta National. Rose, who played early before the winds picked up, took full advantage of the calm conditions. His birdies on the par-3 12th and 16th, both from within four feet, kept him at 8-under 136 by the end of the second round.
Behind Rose, DeChambeau capitalized on an improbable bunker shot birdie on the par-3 fourth hole, finishing with a front-nine 32. His round of 68 kept him within striking distance.
For McIlroy, it was a turnaround. After struggling with two double bogeys on Thursday, he rallied with a remarkable back nine. “I had to remind myself that I was playing well,” McIlroy said after posting a 66. His birdie-birdie start on holes 10 and 11, followed by a 10-foot eagle on the 13th, marked a significant shift in his play.
Canadian Corey Conners, with a 70, joined McIlroy at 6-under 138, quietly making his move as well.
Among those three shots behind Rose, Scheffler was joined by Shane Lowry, who shot a 68, and Tyrrell Hatton, who had briefly closed the gap to one stroke before a pair of costly three-putts.
Rose, seeking a return to the top after a dozen years since his lone major win at the 2013 U.S. Open, remained focused on the task at hand. “It’s nice to be back in that mix,” he said.
McIlroy, who faced a 10-shot deficit last year and ultimately missed the cut, was more composed this time. He focused on playing steady, and it paid off in the form of a strong back nine performance.
Meanwhile, Scheffler and Hatton had to endure some of the worst wind conditions of the day. Scheffler’s tee shot on the 12th sailed into the azaleas but somehow bounced out, and he chipped in for an unlikely birdie. He acknowledged that the wind made it harder to stay sharp.
At the cut line, 67-year-old Bernhard Langer saw his long and illustrious Masters career come to an end, narrowly missing a par putt on his final hole. The biggest surprise of the day, however, was Brooks Koepka, who collapsed with a quadruple bogey on the 18th hole, dropping out of contention after needing only a bogey to make the cut.
As the tournament heads into the weekend, attention will remain on the top players. Rose summed it up perfectly: “You’re going to have to play great golf, go out there, and get after it. It’s as simple as that.”
