Watch: Incredible Rory McIlroy tee shot on No. 1 sets tone for blazing-hot start

With his second stroke, McIlroy landed 10 feet from the pin, where he one-putted to move to seven-under, one stroke behind co-leaders Justin Rose and Bryson DeChambeau.

McIlroy was even more impressive on the par-five, 585-yard No. 2 hole. After hitting his second shot long of the green, McIlroy recovered with a sensational chip shot for an eagle to take a one-stroke lead at nine-under par.

McIlroy has been outstanding since the back nine on Friday, shooting nine-under par over his last 12 holes. He added a birdie at the third hole to extend his lead to two strokes.

It's been a remarkable turnaround after his nightmarish end to Round 1, when he double-bogeyed Nos. 15 and 17 to end Thursday at par.

Since 2014, McIlroy has had seven top-10 finishes at the Masters, including a runner-up in 2022. He missed the cut in 2023 and finished tied for No. 22 in 2024.

The world's No. 2-ranked golfer, McIlroy's last major title came at the 2014 PGA Championship.

After his blazing start to the third round at the 2025 Masters, the drought might not last much longer.