The Masters leaderboard is crowded with several contenders.
Justin Rose did just enough to stay atop the leaderboard as he shot a 1-under 71 on Friday and enters the third round at 8-under par. The 44-year-old Rose birdied No. 2 and carded four birdies during the second round, but also had three bogeys.
Bryson DeChambeau started on a tear as he birdied four of his first eight holes, but then made seven straight pars. The two-time U.S. Open champion (2020, 2024) bogeyed No. 16 but got that stroke back with a birdie on No. 17. He shot a 4-under 68 on Friday and is seven under par for the tournament.
Rory McIlroy rebounded nicely from Thursday’s opening round, in which he made two double bogeys in the final four holes. McIlroy began slow with one birdie and eight pars on the front nine, but then had a sensational back nine. McIlory birdied No. 10 and 11, then had a tremendous shot out of the pine straw on No. 13 that led to an eagle and made birdie on No. 15. McIlory shot 6-under on Friday and is tied for third entering Saturday.
Scottie Scheffler had an up-and-down day on Friday, as the defending Masters champion shot a 1-under 71.
Scheffler had four birdies but three bogeys, including back-to-back on No. 10 and 11, through the first 12 holes. He would also bogey both No. 16 and No. 18, including having to hit a shot from underneath a magnolia tree. Despite the rough day, Scheffler is 5-under for the tournament and tied for fifth place.
Several other golfers enter Saturday’s third round in contention.
Corey Conners shot a 2-under 70 to get to 6-under and is tied for third with McIlroy. Matt McCarty and Shane Lowry both shot 4-under 68 and are 5-under par and tied for fifth. For the second day, Jason Day shot a 2-under 70 and is tied for 9th place.
A few past Masters champions did enough on Friday to get above the cutline.
Hideki Matsuyama (2021) recovered from a rough first round as he shot a 4-under 68 to get to 3-under for the tournament, and tied for 12th. Patrick Reed (2018) shot a 2-under 70 to enter Saturday at 3-under. Bubba Watson (2012, 2014) shot even par on Friday and is 1-under and tied for 23rd.
Three-time champion Phil Mickelson (2004, 2006, 2010) shot a 2-under XX to get to 1-over for the tournament.
Jon Rahm (2023) rebounded from an opening-round 75 to shoot a 1-under 71 to get to 2-over to make it to the weekend. Zach Johnson (2007) shot a 2-over 74 to land right on the cutline.
After shooting 1-over on Thursday, Jordan Spieth (2015) shot 1-over par on Friday as he bogeyed four on the back nine, including No. 18. Danney Willet (2016) and Charl Schwartzel (2011) both got to 2-over par to do the same.
The list of notable golfers that missed the cut, which was set at 2-over par, was 2020 Masters champion Dustin Johnson at plus-3, 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia and 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir at plus-4, 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott, and five-time major champion Brooks Koepka at plus-5.
The 1992 Master champion Fred Couples was trying to make history as the oldest player to make the weekend cut, trying to break his own record he set in 2023. The 65-year-old Couples shot 4-over par on Friday to finish at 3-over and miss the cut.
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The 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera shot 75 and then 80 to finish at 11-over par for the tournament. Cabrera was controversial as he played in the tournament for the first time since serving a 30-month prison sentence for domestic abuse.