AUGUSTA, Ga. — We’re on the daybreak of Shifting Day of The Masters Match, and the 36-hole leaderboard is chock-full of stars, main champions, and family names.
Justin Rose, who fired a 7-under 65 on Thursday, teetered to a 1-under 71 on Friday morning however nonetheless holds the lead at 8-under total. However his three-shot benefit from Thursday has became a slim one. Can the 44-year-old Englishman proceed to take a seat atop the well-known white leaderboards throughout Augusta Nationwide? That’s one of many urgent questions of the third spherical.
Reigning U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau fired a 68 on Friday, his second straight spherical within the 60s — the one participant to submit a pair of sub-70 rounds up to now. DeChambeau sits one stroke behind Rose at 7-under and after his second spherical, he summed up his day — and the event up to now — completely:
“What golf is about,” DeChambeau mentioned.
“Very excited for the weekend. Received a whole lot of nice names up there, and searching ahead to an unbelievable check of golf.”
Certainly, this event is what golf is all about. Enjoyable and pleasure, but in addition difficult and intense, all match the billing for a way the Masters has performed out up to now — and we are able to solely hope this continues over the ultimate 36 holes. However contemplating how this leaderboard seems proper now, we are able to solely assume that would be the case.
Sitting one stroke behind DeChambeau is Rory McIlroy, who fired a 6-under 66 on Friday to vault again into the dialogue. McIlroy stayed affected person throughout his second spherical, which helped him make a Second 9 cost and submit the bottom spherical of the day.
“We’ve bought 36 holes to go on a really, very powerful golf course,” McIlroy mentioned.
“Something can occur. You recognize, and all I’m centered on is attempting to hit an excellent tee shot within the fairway on the primary gap tomorrow.
Additionally at 6-under is Canadian Corey Conners, who will be a part of McIlroy within the penultimate pairing on Saturday afternoon. The previous Kent State standout has three top-10s at Augusta Nationwide all through his profession, however hopes to do higher than that this weekend.
“By no means wish to get too far forward of myself, however it will be — it’s a giant deal to win majors, particularly the Masters Match. Most likely the most important golf event on this planet. Bear in mind the place I used to be watching Mike [Weir] win in 2003,” Conners mentioned.
“And it’s an thrilling alternative, and simply going to try to have enjoyable, and we’ll see what occurs over the weekend.”
After which, in fact, is probably the scariest of all of them: Scottie Scheffler, the most effective participant on this planet and the defending champion, is at 5-under par, trailing Rose by three. However Scheffler didn’t have his greatest stuff with him on Friday, maybe as a result of winds that picked up because the afternoon wore on.
“Golf is a humorous sport. It’s a day-to-day factor. [On Thursday] I felt actually sharp. [Friday] not as sharp. May the circumstances have contributed to that? I’m certain just a little bit,” Scheffler mentioned.
“It was undoubtedly a lot more durable to hit the ball the place you have been wanting at this time, simply because the wind was blowing from in all places. That’s what’s nice about this golf course is it’s fairly difficult, and also you get winds like that, you’ve actually bought to handle your expectations, handle your self across the course.”
Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, Irishman Shane Lowry, and Masters rookie Matt McCarty additionally sit at 5-under par, all hoping to win their first Inexperienced Jackets. Hatton and Lowry definitely have the sport to take action, however can they maintain their feelings in verify on these difficult inexperienced complexes? Or might McCarty change into the primary debutant to win a Inexperienced Jacket since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979?
Who is aware of. However the one factor we all know is that Saturday might be enjoyable as soon as once more — what golf is all about.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By means of. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.