Rory McIlroy Leads Masters By Record Six Shots After Sensational Second Round

Rory McIlroy opened his Masters title defense with a 5-under 67 and then exploded late in the second round with six birdies in his last seven holes.

He leads by six shots over Sam Burns and Patrick Reed, a record margin for the halfway point at the Masters.

BBC

McIlroy's six-shot 36-hole lead is the largest in the 90-year history of the tournament.

SI Golf Senior Writer Bob Harig cautioned that it can get away from you quickly around here.

The BBC described McIlroy's finish as a sensational second round which helped him accelerate away from the chasing pack.

McIlroy hit only five fairways in the first round and ranked 90th in accuracy through 36 holes.

He relied on his wedges and short game to create scoring opportunities.

BBC

The Guardian noted that McIlroy is footloose and fancy-free at Augusta National.

McIlroy said, I feel like I'm playing with the house's money.

CBS Sports highlighted his seven birdies in eight attempts on par 5s despite not hitting a single fairway.

McIlroy told ESPN, I think winning a Masters makes it easier to win your second one.

“Augusta National finally loves Rory McIlroy back: Stage set for historic Masters green jacket defense Despite a driver that won't cooperate, McIlroy is lapping the field in a never-before-seen fashion after 36 holes at the 2026 Masters AUGUSTA, Ga”

CBS Sports

He described the feeling of being able to commit to shots without worrying about where the ball goes.

Golf Channel captured that Augusta has become the home of McIlroy's greatest triumph.

McIlroy's relaxed approach was evident as he played his last 11 holes in 5 under on Thursday.

NBC 6 South Florida noted that McIlroy has been wearing his green jacket all week.

The leaderboard remained stacked with major champions and Ryder Cup stars.

Sam Burns and Patrick Reed were six shots back.

ESPN

The BBC cautioned it is far from game over.

The Guardian quoted Lowry predicting three days of chaos.

Bryson DeChambeau missed the cut after triple-bogeying the final hole.