Masters Leaderboard 2026 Review of Top Scorecards and Player Stats on Day 2

Rory McIlroy is running away with the 2026 Masters.

The reigning champion at Augusta National Golf Club opened up a six-shot lead on Friday thanks to an incredible back nine.

The tournament is now McIlroy's to lose given the way he played through 36 holes and the gap to the rest of the field.

Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton are among the notable chasers beneath McIlroy on the front page of the leaderboard.

Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm are much further back. Scheffler shot a two-over 74 on Friday to drop out of contention, while Rahm struggled just to make the cut.

Bryson DeChambeau is the most notable name that won't be at Augusta this weekend. The LIV Golf star crashed out in spectacular fashion with a triple bogey on the 18th hole that took him below the cut line.

Rory McIlroy Takes Commanding Lead

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Rory McIlroy turned in one of the most incredible runs at Augusta on the back nine on Friday.

The 2025 green jacket winner reeled off six birdies in six holes between the 12th and 18th.

McIlroy's chip-in from off the green at the 17th hole was the best shot during his back nine surge.

The six-shot lead McIlroy owns going into Saturday feels insurmountable, even for the best golfers in the world, because of how strong the Northern Irishman looked on Friday.

McIlroy might not go 67-65 on the weekend, but even if he shoots rounds of one or two under, it'll take an historic effort for anyone to beat him.

Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood Among Friday's Low Scorers

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The top of the leaderboard reads like a who's who of the European Ryder Cup team.

McIlroy is at the top with Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton in the top seven and ties.

Hatton and Fleetwood turned in two of the best non-McIlroy rounds on Friday.

Before McIlroy took the course by storm, Hatton produced a six-under 66 that was highlighted by four birdies on the front nine.

Fleetwood turned in a four-under 68 that had a pair of eagles on par fives. He gained two shots at both the eighth and 15th holes.

If McIlroy wasn't so far ahead, we'd be talking about Hatton and Fleetwood's prolonged quests to win their first major titles.

Instead, both golfers, as well as the rest of the field, have to be near perfect on Saturday just to potentially challenge McIlroy on Sunday.

Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm Make Cut, But Are Off Pace

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Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm entered Masters week as two of the three green jacket favorites alongside McIlroy.

Neither Scheffler nor Rahm will be in contention for another win at Augusta this weekend.

Scheffler dropped back to even-par for the tournament with his two-over 74 on Friday that featured four bogeys, including two in the final six holes.

Rahm finished his second round directly on the cut line at four-over. The Spaniard shot a two-under 70 to stick around for the weekend.

Both players could still finish inside the top 20, or even the top 10, with strong weekend efforts, but they are expected to be nothing more than afterthoughts compared to McIlroy's chase of the Masters title.

Bryson DeChambeau Crashes Out With Triple Bogey on 18th Hole

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Bryson DeChambeau had one of the worst finishes to a major tournament round you could imagine.

DeChambeau dropped three shots on the 18th hole to miss the cut and finish at six-over.

DeChambeau came into the week with plenty of expectations because of his early-season success on the LIV Golf tour.

The American never found his form at Augusta, though, as he shot 76 on Thursday and 74 on Friday.

He had an up-and-down day before the collapse on No. 18. He recorded four birdies and three bogeys to put him at three-over after the 17th hole.