McIlroy’s Masters lead
After Round 2 at Augusta, Rory McIlroy held a six‑shot lead, with coverage noting a second‑round 65 and a shifting odds picture as challengers like Scottie Scheffler struggled. ( ) Reporting also raised the green‑jacket protocol question — Golfweek and Golf.com described the Masters’ jacket rules and the tournament’s 'Green Jacket Vault', and the Los Angeles Times reported that members’ jackets are cremated with them. ( )
Rory McIlroy took a six-shot lead into the weekend at the Masters after a second-round 65 at Augusta National. (golfchannel.com) Golf Channel reported McIlroy reached 12-under par through 36 holes by birdieing six of his final seven holes Friday. Yahoo Sports said the margin was the largest 36-hole lead in Masters history. (golfchannel.com) (sports.yahoo.com) The chasing group shifted behind him. Yahoo’s Friday leaderboard listed Sam Burns and Patrick Reed at 6-under, with Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Shane Lowry among the next names in range, while ESPN’s betting coverage said Scottie Scheffler slid back after a 2-over 74. (sports.yahoo.com) (espn.com) The odds moved just as sharply as the leaderboard. ESPN said McIlroy became an odds-on favorite after Round 2, and AOL’s odds roundup, citing FanDuel Sportsbook, put him at -280 after he closed with that late run of birdies. (espn.com) (aol.com) That lead also revived a Masters ceremony question because McIlroy was the defending champion. Golfweek and Yahoo both reported that if the previous year’s winner repeats, the chairman of Augusta National, not the player himself, presents the Green Jacket in Butler Cabin. (golfweek.usatoday.com) (sports.yahoo.com) The jacket comes with strict custody rules after the ceremony. Golfweek said winners may keep the jacket off club grounds for one year, then must return it to Augusta National, where past champions can wear it only on site. (golfweek.usatoday.com) Golf Digest reported the Green Jacket tradition for champions began in 1949 with Sam Snead. The same report said champions’ jackets are stored at Augusta National after that one-year period. (golfdigest.com) For club members, the rules are tighter still. The Los Angeles Times reported, in a story republished by Yahoo, that members’ jackets stay at the club and are cremated with them when they die. (sports.yahoo.com) By Sunday morning, the tournament had tightened dramatically. Yahoo’s final-round preview reported McIlroy and Cameron Young were tied at 11-under after Round 3, erasing the six-shot cushion that made Friday feel like a runaway. (sports.yahoo.com) So the weekend story at Augusta changed twice in two days: first to whether anyone could catch McIlroy, then to whether he could finish the job and keep the jacket that, by club rule, never really leaves Augusta for long. (sports.yahoo.com) (golfweek.usatoday.com)
