AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy raced out to the best start the Masters has seen in its 91-year history with six straight 3s on his scorecard that shot him into the lead Saturday and left him 18 holes away from that coveted green jacket and the career Grand Slam.
McIlroy chipped in for eagle as part of his amazing start. And then he delivered another eagle late in the round as contenders were lining up behind him, a majestic 6-iron to 6 feet on the par-5 15th hole that carried him to a second straight 6-under 66.
“It was an awesome day and puts me in a great position going into tomorrow,” McIlroy said.
He led by two shots over a familiar foe — Bryson DeChambeau, who delivered some magic of his own with a 45-foot birdie putt to start his round and a putt from nearly 50 feet for birdie on the 18th hole that gave him a 69.
It was DeChambeau who crushed McIlroy’s spirit last year at Pinehurst No. 2 by beating him at the U.S. Open, stretching McIlroy’s drought in the majors to more than a decade.
“It will be the grandest stage we’ve had in a long time, and I’m excited for it,” DeChambeau said. “It’s going to be an electric atmosphere.”
Also familiar to McIlroy was his position going into the final day at Augusta National.
It was 14 years ago when McIlroy, a 21-year-old with long, curly locks and unlimited potential, took a four-shot lead into the final round of the Masters. What followed was a meltdown that left him in tears when he shot 80.
He hasn’t had a better chance at that green jacket until this week, when he recovered from two double bogeys in the opening round and responded with rounds of 66-66.
At stake Sunday is a chance to become only the sixth player to capture all four professional majors, a feat last accomplished nearly 25 years ago by Tiger Woods at the British Open.
Corey Conners, who went from a five-shot deficit to one shot behind McIlroy in a span of three holes on this wild Saturday, closed with eight straight pars for a 70. He was in third place, four shots behind.
No one else was closer than six shots of McIlroy. Justin Rose, who had a one-shot lead at the start of the day, shot 75 and was seven shots back.
Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion and world’s No. 1 player, was stuck in neutral on a thrilling afternoon with so much movement. He was having to stay in the game with tough pars and managed only two birdies in his round of 72. He also was seven shots behind.
“You can only shoot so low if you’re going to have to wedge it from 100 yards to make par,” Scheffler said.
The rest of this Saturday didn’t lack for excitement, roars coming from all corners from the time McIlroy blasted his opening drive over the bunkers to set up birdie all the way to the end when DeChambeau went from a fairway bunker to the edge of the green to an unlikely birdie.
McIlroy shied away from the notion this is a rematch with DeChambeau, a chance to atone from June when he missed two short putts down the stretch.
“The big thing is not to make it a rematch,” McIlroy said. “Stay in my own little world. There’s a few people who can make a run. I have to do what I’ve been doing, surround myself in my own little cocoon.”
DeChambeau was fist-pumping his way around Augusta National with key short-game shots. For all his power, this was a masterclass in chipping and putting. And he relishes a shot at green jacket, especially with McIlroy at his side.
“Two behind, I couldn’t ask for more,” he said.
