The Japan Times - Rose clings to Masters lead as McIlroy, DeChambeau charge

Rose stood on eight-under 136 after 36 holes at Augusta National with DeChambeau one stroke adrift through 12 holes after four birdies in his first eight.

Four-time major winner McIlroy, however, was the most electrifying with birdies at 10 and 11, a nine-foot eagle putt at the par-five 13th and an incredible par save from trees at 14 to stand on five-under.

McIlroy, who found only five of the first 14 fairways, had stumbled late with two double bogeys in Thursday's last four holes.

It was a bitter blow to the world number two from Northern Ireland, who needs a Masters victory to complete a career Grand Slam.

Rose began the day with a three-stroke edge after matching his Masters career low with a 65 on Thursday, and the 44-year-old Englishman patiently took his opportunities in round two.

Rose, the 2013 US Open winner and 2016 Rio Olympic champion, blasted out of a bunker to 14 feet at the par-five second and made the birdie putt, but came up short of the fifth green and made bogey.

Rose responded with a five-foot birdie putt at the par-five eighth and sank a four-foot birdie putt at the par-three 12th to reach nine-under.

DeChambeau sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the second, holed out from a bunker from 36 feet at the par-three fourth and made an eight-foot birdie putt at the fifth to ignite his charge.

DeChambeau two-putted from 18 feet for birdie at the eighth to reach seven-under and, when Rose made bogey at 14 after missing the green with his approach, moved within one stroke of the lead.

Rose answered the challenge with a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-three 16th but found a bunker on his approach at the par-4 17th and made bogey, only to close with a tension-packed 13-foot par putt at 18 to stay in the lead.

Meanwhile McIlroy blasted his approach at the par-five 13th from the pine straw to nine feet and sank his eagle putt as the crowd roared with delight in the day's highlight.

South Korea's Im Sung-jae opened and closed the front nine with back-to-back birdies and was five-under through 15 holes.

Canada's Corey Conners birdied the second to reach five-under after six holes.

- Scheffler birdie -

American Matt McCarty, a Masters rookie, opened double bogey-bogey then battled back, closing the front nine with four birdies and adding four more before a closing bogey to finish on 68 and stand on five-under 139.

Sweden's Ludvig Aberg, a Masters runner-up last year in his major debut, had two birdies and two bogeys to remain on four-under after 14 holes.

Overnight rain softened Augusta National with cloudy skies and windy conditions dominating the afternoon as top-ranked defending champion Scottie Scheffler birdied the second to reach five-under.

Scheffler, who also won a green jacket in 2022, is trying to join Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo as the only back-to-back Masters champions and match Nicklaus as the only players to capture three green jackets in a four-year span.

World number four Collin Morikawa, a two-time major winner, remained on level par after parring the first.

Third-ranked Xander Schauffele, the 2024 PGA Championship and Open Championship winner, was at two-under overall through 12 holes.

T.Ueda--JT