Rose retains lead as McIlroy bounces back at The Master

Round 2

Rory McIlroy charged back into Grand Slam contention after a stunning bogey-free second round lifted him within two strokes of halfway leader Justin Rose at The Masters.

McIlroy, searching for a first major title since 2014 and needing victory at Augusta National to become just the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam, bounced back from a frustrating finish to his opening day to fire a six-under 66 on Friday morning.

The world No 2 carded a stunning eagle at the par-five 13th alongside four birdies to post the lowest round of the day, lifting him to six under, as Rose held onto top spot after mixing four birdies with three bogeys in a second-round 71.

Rose holds a one-shot advantage over US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, who birdied four of his opening eight holes on his way to a four-under 68, while McIlroy sits a further shot back in third alongside Canada’s Corey Conners.

World No 1 Scottie Scheffler heads into the weekend three strokes off the pace as he seeks to become the first back-to-back winner of The Masters since Tiger Woods, with Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton and Matt McCarty also in tied-fifth.

Only one of the last 19 Masters champions have been more than four strokes of the lead after the opening day, leaving McIlroy facing an uphill battle resuming seven back, although the Northern Irishman made a strong start with a birdie at the par-five second.

McIlroy produced an impressive par save from the back of the fourth green and patiently reached the turn in 35, before sparking his charge up the leaderboard with stunning approach shots to set up back-to-back birdies from the 10th.

The four-time major champion secured an unlikely par at the 12th after seeing his ball kick out of the bushes, before an aggressive approach from the pine straw at the par-five next was rewarded with a 10-foot eagle.

McIlroy played the par-five 15th some three shots better than the previous day, two-putting from long range for birdie after finding the green in two, then closed out a blemish-free card with three pars to remain at six under.

The 35-year-old will go out in the penultimate group on Saturday alongside Conners, who posted a second-round 70, while Rose holds the solo halfway lead for the third time in his Masters career as he chases a first major win since the 2013 US Open.

Rose briefly extended his overnight lead to four shots after taking advantage of the par-five second and birdied both par-threes on the second nine, with the Englishman on nine under until a penultimate-hole bogey.

DeChambeau threatened a late charge for the lead after racing to the turn in 32, only to fail to find a birdie on the second nine and bogey the par-three 16th, while Hatton was also within one of the lead until back-to-back bogeys from the 15th.

Hatton shares fifth spot with Scheffler, who stuttered to a final-hole 71 after a closing bogey, with McCarty also on five under after bouncing back from dropping three shots in his first two holes to post a four-under 68.

Lowry mixed five birdies with a lone bogey to complete the group on five under, with Rasmus Hojgaard and Viktor Hovland sharing ninth place with Jason Day.

A star-studded leaderboard has 21 players within six strokes of the halfway lead, with Xander Schuaffele among those after a three-under 69.