Masters 2026: Free of his Augusta burden, Rory McIlroy posts another dominant round to hold six-shot lead
McIlroy heads into the weekend with the largest-ever lead after two rounds.
Rory McIlroy celebrates after a putt on the 16th hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club, Friday, April 10, 2026, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) ASSOCIATED PRESS AUGUSTA, Ga. — Imagine if Rory McIlroy had lost last year.
Imagine if his miraculous Sunday approach on 15 found the water. Imagine if his winning putt in the playoff lipped out. Imagine if any of a thousand little things had gone wrong, and then imagine what we’d be talking about this year, right now.
Instead, we’re talking about a man striding toward history with a five-shot lead. Rory, of course, won the Masters last year, in one of the most dramatic and heartfelt moments in this tournament’s history. And so he returned to Augusta not with the crushing burden of expectation, but with the freedom to chase a mark only three other men have achieved: back-to-back Masters.
Chasing the second comes with a whole lot less pressure than chasing the first. McIlroy claimed a share of the lead on Thursday, then held it on Friday afternoon, radiating chill as he carded a 7-under 65. He birdied three holes in a row right at the start of his round, then calmly shrugged off bogeys at 5 and 10.