Augusta (United States) (AFP) – Rory McIlroy delivered one of the most stunning finishes in major golf history, making birdies on six of Friday’s last seven holes to seize a record six-stroke lead after 36 holes at the Masters. Defying fast and firm conditions at Augusta National, McIlroy fired a seven-under-par 65 in the second round to stand on 12-under-par 132 at the midpoint of the year’s first major.
World number two McIlroy’s closing run included holing out a spectacular 29-yard pitch at the par-four 17th hole and sinking a six-foot birdie putt at the 18th to break the old 36-hole record lead of five shots. “Just an amazing end to the round,” McIlroy said. “When I was standing on the 12th tee, I didn’t imagine I would be six ahead going into the weekend.”
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McIlroy, trying to become only the fourth player to capture back-to-back green jackets, sank seven-foot birdie putts at the par-three 12th and par-five 13th holes to seize the lead. He added another from 10 feet at the par-five 15th and sank a three-foot birdie putt at the par-three 16th. Then came the pitch-in stunner and an approach to six feet at 18 followed by the clutch putt for his fourth straight birdie at Masters history. “This golf course, you can get on runs,” McIlroy said. “And for me, it’s all about staying patient until I feel good enough that I can get on them.”
Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, missed a six-foot putt and made bogey at 18 to shoot 69 and share a distant second with fellow American Sam Burns on 138. England’s Justin Rose, a three-time Masters runner-up, and compatriot Tommy Fleetwood, seeking his first major title, shared fourth on 139 with Ireland’s Shane Lowry, the 2019 British Open winner.
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