Whatever happens this weekend, Rory McIlroy has cemented himself in the history books at Augusta.

The Northern Irishman ended the second round sitting beneath Justin Rose and Bryson DeChambeau on the Masters leaderboard at six-under-par.

3

McIlroy had a dream start to his third round at the MastersCredit: Getty

But he began the third round like a man possessed and a birdie on the opening hole was a sign of what was to come.

The birdie came after McIlroy delivered a mammoth 371-yard tee shot that set him up perfectly.

He followed it up with a delightful approach shot onto the green that left him 10 feet away from the pin.

It got even better for the four-time major winner when he carded a stunning eagle on the par-five second.

He did it with a moment of genius when he chipped in from 18 yards away behind the green and left Sky Sports commentator Butch Harmon in awe.

“He did it, what a start,” Harmon said.

“Is this Disneyland or is this golf?”

McIlroy kept his foot on the gas with a seven-foot putt on the third to record yet another birdie.

The 35-year-old kept up his streak of threes on the par-three fourth before another birdie followed on the par-four fifth.

McIlroy’s impressive run extended onto the par-three sixth when he recorded a par.

3

The Northern Irishman achieved a feat no-one had ever made at the MastersCredit: Getty

Thanks to McIlroy’s dazzling display, he became the first player in Masters history to start a round with six consecutive threes or better on his scorecard.

Unfortunately for McIlroy, all good things come to an end and that’s what transpired when he hit four on the par-four seventh.

He then recorded his first bogey of the third round on the par-five eighth.

McIlroy looked to be in control on the eighth but he fired his third shot over the green that left him with work to do.

His fourth shot stopped well short of the flag and left him with a tricky eight-foot putt. McIlroy missed his first attempt but made no mistake from three-yards away with his sixth shot.

3

The crowd at Augusta is firmly behind McIlroy as he pursues his first Green JacketCredit: Getty

It doubled as McIlroy’s first bogey since the 17th hole in the first round.

McIlroy’s brief wobble continued as he had to settle for a par four on the ninth, before bogeyed the 10th as the chasing pack closed in.

Having settled his nerves with a couple of par saves on 11 and 12, McIlroy finally got moving in the right direction again with his first birdie since the fifth hole arriving on 13th to take him two clear of the field.

McIlroy is chasing an elusive first Masters victory having previously finished second at Augusta in 2022.

It is the only major he has not won, having been victorious at the U.S. Open in 2011, the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014 as well as The Open in 2014.