Rose still leads Masters with all-star group on his heels

The end of a long Friday that reshaped the Masters had Scottie Scheffler sitting in the pine straw under a magnolia tree left of the 18th fairway, waiting for a rules official but looking very much like someone who simply needed to catch his breath.

Rest up for a weekend at Augusta National that doesn’t figure to lack for drama.

It starts with Justin Rose, who did just enough in his round of 1-under 71 to be the 36-hole leader for the third time in his career as the 44-year-old from England tries to become the second-oldest Masters champion behind Jack Nicklaus (46).

The leading role returns to Rory McIlroy, who came to life with a birdie-birdie-par-eagle start to the back nine. Maybe that’s where his Masters started, because he roared into contention with a bogey-free 66 that renewed hopes of a green jacket to complete the career Grand Slam.

U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau might have learned to putt the Augusta National greens, a scary proposition for someone who already knows how to bash the golf ball. He shot 68 and was a shot behind Rose in his best start ever at the Masters.

And Scheffler?

The defending Masters champion did his best to survive the worst of the conditions, mainly wind that caused a little discomfort and a lot of uncertainty. He made five bogeys over his last 12 holes, the last one by going from under the magnolia, back to the fairway, over the green and then hitting a superb chip to limit the damage.


All that and he was only three behind after a 71.

It shapes up for a wide-open weekend, led by a 44-year-old from England who has gone a dozen years since winning his only major at the 2013 U.S. Open. 


(AP Photo David J. Phillip)