Augusta, Ga. — Justin Rose was only enough to keep the lead at the Masters on Friday, but he suddenly has a lot of companies going on weekends at Augusta National.
Bryson Deccanbeau became the only player in consecutive sub-70 rounds, placing him in the final group and reaching within one shot. Right behind me was Rory McIlroy. He tried to erase a sloppy finish from memory in the first round and fought for a career grand slam back into sight.
Scotty Schaeffler started his title defense with 24 straight holes without bogeys. He then made five bogeys in the final 12 holes, slowing his progress. He was only three shots behind.
The 16 players were separated by five shots at the halfway point, nine major champions, three who won the Augusta National.
“The leaderboard is stacked very positively for what looks like a world-class player,” Rose said after 1 under 71.
“So you’re going to have to play great golf, and you’re going out there and want it, go for it and chase it,” he said. “It’s really easy, really.”
Rose led a three-shot lead into the second round, with the advantage of playing early before the wind was strong enough to make enough indecisiveness to play.
He hit a nine iron four feet on Ray’s Creek for a birdie on the par 3 12th and packed a tee shot for another birdie in par 3 16th place. That helped him to alleviate some mistakes.
He was 8 under 136 and earned a 36-hole lead in the third master.
Buzz came from behind him.
DeChambeau picked up an unlikely birdie by holening a bunker shot on the fourth hole of the PAR-3 and continuing to maintain Rose’s heel in the rest of the way on his way to 32 on the front nine. He was caught up in 68 for his best start at Master.
“This is what golf is about,” Deccanbeau said. “There are so many great names out there and I look forward to an incredible test of golf.”
And then there was McIlroy. He had two double bogeys on the final four holes on Thursday. This time he was able to forget about it and move on. He went to Birdie Baidi Pal Agur and started the back nine and was on his way to a bogeyless 66.
“I had to remember how well I played,” McIlroy said. “Two bad holes couldn’t determine the story of 16 good things. I also had to remember this morning not to push too quickly.”
And Scheffler?
The Defending Masters Champion did their best to get through the worst. This caused winds that mainly caused a bit of discomfort and a lot of uncertainty. He made five bogeys in the final 12 holes. The final 12 holes sat on the pine straw under the magnolia tree on the left of the 18th fairway, waiting for the formula for the rules, but simply looked like someone who needed to hold their breath. He eventually made a bogey to 18. I went back to the fairway from under the magnolia and back on top of the green, then pounded a great tip to limit the damage.
All of that and he was only three behind after age 71.
“We have a great golf course. The conditions should be really good, challenging and there are some great people on the leaderboard,” Schaeffler said. “So it should be a fun weekend.”
Canada’s Corey Connors quietly put together a 70 and joined McIlroy at a 6-under 138.
Group three shots included Schaeffler (71), former British Open Champion Shane Laurie (68) and Tyrrell Hutton. One of them ran down the hill on the 16th, a U-turn. The other was a sleepy tap-in and went outside.
It is shaped for a wide-open weekend led by a 44-year-old from England, who has been in the decades since winning his sole major at the 2013 US Open. Rose spoke last year about finding another magic in his career, and opportunities await him.
This also applies to Deccanbo, the US Open Champion. For McIlroy, he is a sentimental favorite of many at Augusta National, looking to win the final leg of a career grand slam. And for Schaeffler, who dealt with the many stresses that the course had put on him on Friday.
“That’s the company I expect to keep up and that’s where I tried to become my entire career,” Rose said. “I’ve been the top 10 player in the world for over a decade. Yeah, I’m happy to be back in that mix.”
The cut was 146 over two over, marking the end of 67-year-old Bernhard Langer’s Masters career. He had to make a 10-foot putt in the final hole, but that only tickled the right side of the cup.
Five-time major champion Brooks Koepka may have made the most shocking departure. He was in good condition and needed a bogey on the 18th. He made a quadruple bogey, starting with a tee shot by a tree and finished with 10 feet to 3 putts.
Now the attention has returned to the top, with 16 players separated by 5 shots in the last two days.
Rose is on the leaderboard after spending his 10th round at Augusta and doesn’t have a green jacket to show it. At 44, he tries to become the second oldest player to win the green jacket behind Jack Nicklaus (46), the 1986 Masters.
This report uses information from the Associated Press.