Augusta (United States) – Justin Rose clung to a one-stroke lead after firing a one-under par 71 in the second round of the 89th Masters, with reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy charging after him.
Rose stood on eight-under 136 after 36 holes at Augusta National with DeChambeau one stroke adrift through 12 holes after four birdies in his first eight.
Four-time major winner McIlroy, however, was the most electrifying with birdies at 10 and 11, a nine-foot eagle putt at the par-five 13th and an incredible par save from trees at 14 to stand on five-under.
McIlroy, who found only five of the first 14 fairways, had stumbled late with two double bogeys in the last four holes, AFP reported.
It was a bitter blow to the world No 2 from Northern Ireland, who needs a Masters victory to complete a career Grand Slam.
Rose began the day with a three-stroke edge after matching his Masters career low with a 65, and the 44-year-old Englishman patiently took his opportunities in round two.
Rose, the 2013 US Open winner and 2016 Rio Olympic champion, blasted out of a bunker to 14 feet at the par-five second and made the birdie putt, but came up short of the fifth green and made bogey.
Rose responded with a five-foot birdie putt at the par-five eighth and sank a four-foot birdie putt at the par-three 12th to reach nine-under.
DeChambeau sank a seven-foot birdie putt at the second, holed out from a bunker from 36 feet at the par-three fourth and made an eight-foot birdie putt at the fifth to ignite his charge.
DeChambeau two-putted from 18 feet for birdie at the eighth to reach seven-under and, when Rose made bogey at 14 after missing the green with his approach, moved within one stroke of the lead.
Rose answered the challenge with a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-three 16th but found a bunker on his approach at the par-4 17th and made bogey, only to close with a tension-packed 13-foot par putt at 18 to stay in the lead.
Meanwhile McIlroy blasted his approach at the par-five 13th from the pine straw to nine feet and sank his eagle putt as the crowd roared with delight in the day’s highlight.
