Rory McIlroy’s lead at the Masters has been reduced after a quick start from Patrick Reed. McIlroy began with a six-shot lead, but Reed birdied the first two holes. McIlroy also found himself in trouble on the second.
Scottie Scheffler is attempting to recover from a difficult start. He hit his second shot into the greenside bunker on the 13th. Despite starting the day 12 shots behind the leader, he is now only five shots back.
Early Birdies for Lowry and Fleetwood
Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood both made early birdies. Lowry holed out from around 10 feet. Fleetwood showed great touch with his irons around the green to zip into a foot with a bump and run from the right edge.
McIlroy’s Struggles on Par-Fives
Rory McIlroy has struggled to hit fairways on par-fives this week. He is 0/9 in that statistic. His drive at the second carried the bunker down the right but took a wicked kick to the right and scampers down through the pinestraw and seemingly nestles close to a little tree.
McIlroy was forced to go low under some branches from 89 yards on the first. He knew immediately that it was coming in a little hot and his ball did indeed scuttle through the green. He takes the putter but it’s slow through the fringe and he’ll have a wee knee-knocker for par.
And it slides past on the left! That’s not what he was after but that was a poorly played hole.
Burns Makes His Move
Sam Burns stuck one in close from 165 yards and makes the putt!
McIlroy’s Par-Five Dominance
Recent Masters champions have usually done the bulk of their scoring on the par fives, with in fact only Danny Willett of the last 10 winners scoring better on the threes and fours than the longer holes.
Rory McIlroy has made a birdie on seven of the eight par fives he’s played so far. He started today seven under on the fives, three under on the par threes and two under on the par fours. He could win the Masters from here just taking care of the par fives and playing it safe on the rest.
Every shot will be covered, plus in-play clips and commentary from across BBC Radio 5 Live.