Aiming for 1st Masters title, Rory McIlroy takes 2-stroke lead into final day

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy roared into the lead and carries a two-stroke advantage into the final round after shooting 6-under-par 66 in the third round of the Masters on Saturday at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.

McIlroy, aiming for his first Masters championship to complete a career grand slam, became the first player to shoot 5 under through the first five holes of a round in the famed tournament.

He's at 12-under 204 going into Sunday's final round. He recorded two eagles Saturday.

Bryson DeChambeau birdied three of the last four holes to post 69 and move to 10 under.

England's Justin Rose, the leader after the first and second rounds, shot 75 and slumped to a tie for sixth place at 5 under.

Canada's Corey Conners (70 on Saturday) is in third place at 8 under, while Patrick Reed (69) and Sweden's Ludvig Aberg (69) are at 6 under.

McIlroy, in his 17th Masters, became the first golfer in tournament history to begin a round with five consecutive 3s. That equated to three birdies, an eagle and a pars. He also had a 3 for par on No. 6.

He logged eagles on the second and 15th holes, both par 5s -- the first of those with a chip-in from the green fringe didn't par any of the par 5s, also posting a bogey and a birdie on the longer holes.

McIlroy tied for 22nd place a year ago at Augusta. He has seven top-10 finishes, including a runner-up effort in 2022.

Rose began the round with a two-stroke lead. He produced just two birdies. His biggest blunder might have come at the par-3 16th, when he needed three putts from inside 10 feet and took a bogey. His troubles worsened with a bogey at No. 18.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler (72), Ireland's Shane Lowry (72) and Australia's Jason Day (71) are at 5 under.

England's Tyrrell Hatton chipped in for birdie on No. 15 but had two bogeys after that and finished with 75 at 2 under.

--Field Level Media