AUGUSTA, Georgia – Defending Masters champion Rory McIlroy enters Saturday’s third round at Augusta National with a substantial six-stroke advantage as he seeks to strengthen his position for another Green Jacket victory.
The golfer from Northern Ireland delivered another outstanding round on Friday, capitalizing on a strong back-nine performance that included multiple birdies to post a 12-under-par total. Sam Burns and Patrick Reed, both from the United States, share second place at six-under par.
The 36-year-old McIlroy appears to be playing with increased confidence this season following his breakthrough Masters victory last year, which allowed him to achieve the career Grand Slam and remove the weight of long-standing expectations.
However, Augusta National has been the site of previous disappointments for McIlroy, and those difficult memories still linger in his mind.
Saturday’s third round will feature McIlroy paired with Burns in the final group, as sunny skies and hot temperatures are forecast to create challenging conditions on Augusta’s famously fast and undulating putting surfaces.
Three golfers from the British Isles – England’s Justin Rose and Tommy Fleetwood, along with Ireland’s Shane Lowry – are currently deadlocked for fourth place at this year’s opening major championship.
Should McIlroy successfully defend his title, he would become only the fourth player in Masters history to win consecutive Green Jackets, joining the exclusive company of Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods.
The tournament champion will receive the iconic Green Jacket along with a winner’s prize of $4.5 million from the event’s total purse of $22.5 million.
