McIlroy Takes Six-Shot Lead at Masters After 65

Rory McIlroy seized command of the 90th Masters Tournament on Friday at Augusta National Golf Club, carding a seven-under-par 65 in the second round to claim the largest 36-hole lead in the event's history. The defending champion, seeking back-to-back green jackets, stands at 12 under par, six strokes ahead of Sam Burns and Patrick Reed entering the weekend.

McIlroy's surge came late in his round, where he birdied six of the final seven holes, including a chip-in at the 17th and a closing birdie at the 18th for his ninth of the day. Starting the round tied for the lead after a first-round 67, he pulled away despite ranking second-to-last in the 91-player field for driving accuracy. His success stemmed from sharp wedge play and a strong short game, allowing him to birdie all but one par-five despite missing their fairways.

"I didn't imagine I would be six ahead going into the weekend," McIlroy said after the round. He credited his mindset shift to last year's victory, which completed his career grand slam and ended an 11-year major drought. "When I miss fairways, it's fine. When I miss greens, it's fine. I feel like I'm sort of playing with the house's money, which is a nice...