April 11 (UPI) — Justin Rose entered Friday with a three-shot lead on the field at the 2025 Masters but watched that advantage shrink to one as Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy and others hunted greens in Augusta, Ga.
“It’s about just playing great golf,” Rose told reporters. “I think the leaderboard is stacking up very favorably for world-class players right up there, so you are going to have to play great golf.
“You are going to have to go out there and want it, go for it and get after it.”
Rose, the No. 39 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, totaled four birdies and three bogeys for a 1-under 71 to move to 8-under for the tournament. DeChambeau, who started the day four shots behind Rose, carded a 4-under 68 on Friday to move into second place at 7-under, one stroke back of Rose.
He carded four birdies as part of a 4-under front nine. DeChambeau then made par on hole Nos. 10 through 15. He made bogey on No. 16 and a birdie on No. 17 before finishing his round with a par.
Justin Rose goes right at it on No. 12 en route to a birdie. He extends his lead to three. #themasters pic.twitter.com/tioTsIzC9h— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 11, 2025
“I felt like I found something out there on the golf course today where I could control the ball a little bit better than yesterday,” DeChambeau said. “So I’m going to go to the range, practice a little bit and hopefully get some good rest.”
McIlroy, who was tied for 27th at even par — seven strokes behind Rose — to start the day, climbed into a tie for third place. He carded four birdies and an eagle en route to a bogey-free 66. Corey Conners, who was tied for second to start the day, carded a 2-under 70 and is tied with Mcilroy at 6-under through 36 holes.
“I got off to a really steady start, with eight pars and a birdie in the front nine and then things sort of clicked into gear at the start of the back nine,” McIlroy said.
Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, the tournament favorite and defending champion, fired a 1-under 72. Scheffler, who entered the day three shots behind Rose and tied for second, is now tied at 5-under for the tournament with Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton and Matt McCarty, who sit in fifth place.
Viktor Hovland, Rasmus Hojgaard and Jason Day are tied for nine at 4-under, rounding out the Top 10. Brooks Koepka (+5), Phil Mickelson (+5), Sergio Garcia (+4), Tony Finau (+4) and Dustin Johnson (+3) are among the notable players set to miss the third round-round cut of the 2025 Masters.
The third round of the Masters will tee off at a.m. EDT Saturday in Augusta. Streaming coverage will be provided on Masters.com and the Masters App. TV coverage will start at noon on Paramount+ and at 2 p.m. on CBS.
