Masters packed with star power atop leaderboard heading into weekend

AUGUSTA — Oh, what a play nan play gods person talented america astatine nan 89th Masters. 

The only measurement nan leaderboard done 36 holes could beryllium much delicious would beryllium if Tiger Woods was 10 years younger pinch his near Achilles tendon intact. 

Justin Rose, astatine property 44 and successful pursuit of a 2nd profession awesome title 12 years removed from his first one, retained nan lead he took successful Thursday’s opening round astatine 8-under aft shooting 71 Friday. 

Bryson DeChambeau, nan reigning U.S. Open champion and YouTube play superstar, is 1 changeable backmost astatine 7-under aft carding a 4-under 68. 

Rory McIlroy, connected nan pursuit for nan profession Grand Slam, made a furious second-round rally aft a demoralizing decorativeness to his first round, and is 2 shots disconnected nan lead aft shooting 66 to get to 6-under. 

Scottie Scheffler, nan defending champion and victor of 2 of nan past three, is 5-under and 3 shots backmost aft shooting 71 successful his pursuit to subordinate Jack Nicklaus arsenic nan only players to triumph 3 of four. 

Shane Lowery, nan 2019 British Open champion astatine Portrush, wherever nan Open will beryllium played successful July, is besides 5-under and 3 shots back, on pinch Korn Ferry Player of nan Year Matt McCarty and LIV Golf personnel Tyrrell Hatton. 

Well, successful nan operation entering Saturday are Jason Day and Viktor Hovland astatine 4-under, and 21-year-old prima successful nan making Ludvig Åberg, who’s 3-under, on pinch two-time awesome victor Collin Morikawa and erstwhile Masters winners Hideki Matsuyama and Patrick Reed. 

The leaderboard is packed pinch prima power. Eight players are wrong 3 shots of nan lead, and astir of them are among nan game’s best. 

“The leaderboard is stacking up very favorably for what looks for illustration world-class players correct up there,’’ Rose said. “So, you’re going to person to play awesome golf, and you’re going to person to spell retired location and want it and spell for it and get aft it. It’s arsenic elemental arsenic that, really.’’ 

Rose, who won nan 2013 U.S. Open, called nan class, value and prima powerfulness astir him connected nan leaderboard “the institution that I expect to keep.’’ 

“That’s wherever I person tried to beryllium my full career,’’ he said. “That’s wherever I’ve been for a batch of my career. I’ve been a top-10 subordinate successful nan world for a decade aliases more. So yeah, this is bully to beryllium backmost successful that mix, 100 percent.’’ 

Fred Couples, nan 65-year-old 1992 Masters victor who missed nan trim playing successful his 40th Masters this week, handicapped nan leaderboard aft his information was over. 

“The feline to watch is DeChambeau,’’ Couples said. “DeChambeau, if [the wind] is not blowing, I deliberation he’s going to make 13 birdies nan adjacent 2 days. Then Rory. Look astatine what Rory did today. Everyone was picking connected him aft a mates doubles [in Thursday’s round]. It’s nosy to watch. 

“Scheffler has been battling, and Tyrrell Hatton, and I don’t cognize McCarty very well, but that’s what I enjoy.’’ 

Scheffler lamented astir “too galore mistakes connected nan backmost nine,’’ adding, “Overall, I did capable to enactment successful nan tournament. Three shots backmost going into nan weekend, hopefully I’ll cleanable up nan paper a small spot tomorrow. 

“Golf is simply a funny game. It’s a day-to-day thing. Yesterday, I felt really sharp. Today, not arsenic sharp.’’ 

Max Homa, who played pinch Rose nan first 2 days, marveled astatine his play. 

“It was great,’’ Homa said. “When you deliberation astir really rounded golf, that’s what it was. He evidently deed a ton of awesome shots. He made a batch of putts nan past mates days. When he was retired of position, he had immoderate really difficult pitches and made them look very easy. 

“It was total-package type play for 2 days. He was very accordant done nan bag.’’ 

Day raved astir nan stacked board. 

“Rory’s trying to decorativeness that Grand Slam that he’s been trying to get for a agelong time,’’ he said. “Scottie is Scottie. I consciousness for illustration that feline is ever successful contention nary matter what he does. He ever gives himself nan opportunities. Doesn’t get excessively precocious aliases low. It seems for illustration he’s ever location astir nan lead. 

“For me, I’m benignant of nether nan radar, which is nice. I consciousness for illustration sitting astatine T-9 is bully going into nan weekend. I conscionable support my caput down and support pushing.’’