Rory McIlroy surged ahead into the weekend at Augusta National with a 65, propelling him to 12 under and the largest halfway lead the tournament has ever seen. His performance places him firmly in the conversation to emulate Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.

The 36‑hole low score by a defending champion eclipses all previous records, underscoring McIlroy’s form after clinching the career Grand Slam a year earlier. A birdie on the final three holes sealed his advantage, while Bryson DeChambeau, a pre‑tournament favourite, slipped off the cut with a final‑hole triple‑bogey.

Sam Burns and Patrick Reed trail behind, and a six‑under 66 from Tyrrell Hatton pushes him into the top ten. McIlroy’s dominance leaves the field scrambling, and the Masters calendar now hinges on whether he can maintain this momentum over the weekend.

The outcome will determine if McIlroy joins an elite group of back‑to‑back Masters champions, a feat not seen since the 1970s.