Rory McIlroy has taken a commanding six-shot lead after the second round of The Masters, carding a spectacular 65 to reach 12 under at Augusta National. The Northern Irishman, who completed his career Grand Slam here last year, now stands six clear of Americans Sam Burns and Patrick Reed, who are tied for second place.

McIlroy's performance mirrors his dominant run at the 2011 US Open, where he also led by six shots at the halfway point before winning by eight. Asked about his strategy for the weekend, McIlroy referenced that victory, saying he'll avoid getting protective and instead 'keep swinging' freely. His efficiency around the course has been particularly impressive, making birdies on three of the four par fives despite missing fairways on all of them.

The 36-year-old has shown remarkable composure, describing his mindset as 'playing with the house's money' after years of pressure to win at Augusta. His ability to recover from mistakes with strong short game and wedge play has been crucial to building his lead. With live coverage continuing Saturday on Sky Sports, McIlroy's bid to defend his title will be tested over the weekend's final rounds.