Six birdies in final seven holes for defending champion in his second round left Rory McIlroy in charge of the Masters at the halfway stage

No longer like a man carrying a Ming vase across a slippery floor, the 2025 winner uses attack as the best form of defence

Sam Burns and Rory McIlroy fired matching 67s through their first 18 holes of the 2026 Masters to share the first-round lead Thursday in Augusta, Ga.