AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy delivered a dynamic finish to the Masters on Friday, looking every bit like someone who has done this before. Six birdies over the last seven holes gave him a 7-under 65 and a six-shot lead that set a Masters record through 36 holes.The final hour of a fascinating day started to look like a victory lap.McIlroy, who made three straight birdies early in his round, found himself locked in a duel with old nemesis Patrick Reed, the 2018 champion who birdied the par-3 12th to tie for the lead. McIlroy was coming off a few loose swings when he reached the heart of Amen Corner.“Standing on the 12th tee, I didn’t imagine being six shots ahead,” McIlroy said.Before long, he was all alone.His tee shot over Rae’s Creek on the dangerous 12th hole landed 7 feet behind the flag. He birdied both par 5s after having to lay up from the trees. He took advantage of the lower pin at the par-3 16th for what amounted to a tap-in birdie.And then he really sent the gallery into a frenzy when he chipped in from 30 yards on the 17th. McIlroy couldn’t see the hole over the crest of the hill on the green, but he knew it was good because “I could see everyone in the grandstand start to stand up.”“That’s a bonus,” he said.And there was one more to go — another perfect approach that came down the slope to 6 feet for one last birdie.That put him at 12-under 132, six shots clear of Reed (69) and Sam Burns (71). The previous record for the largest 36-hole lead at Augusta National was five shots by six players, most recently Scottie Scheffler in 2022. The first was Harry “Lighthorse” Coop …
