After spending 16 years as the hunter, Rory McIlroy is relishing his position as the hunted. The defending Masters champion has reached the halfway point of the 2026 staging in a style that asserts his desperation to hang on to the Green Jacket. Elk, served as sliders in the 36-year-old’s champions dinner on Tuesday evening, were seen diving for cover in mountainous regions as McIlroy placed daylight between himself and pretenders to his throne.

McIlroy won at Augusta National in 2025 and eventually discovered that was not his final career destination after all. He is now 36 holes from becoming only the fourth man in history to back up a Masters win with a Masters win. McIlroy’s distinctly relaxed state of mind means only the bold will back against him from here. Even the prospect of falling short is unlikely to perturb McIlroy. He did quite enough of that in earlier years before rebounding in ferocious fashion. A grand slam winner has a mindset to match.

McIlroy wasted little time in laying down a marker. He was the sole leader of the Masters on the second hole. Birdies at the 3rd and 4th followed. The latter came after a quite superb long iron shot which was unlucky to catch a downslope upon landing. McIlroy afforded the field some hope with a bogey on the treacherous 5th and erred again when missing from 5ft for par. Minus six at this point was matched by the rampaging Reed.

McIlroy seemed to be irritated by the leaderboard attention. He hit a pinpoint tee shot into the 12th, setting up a birdie. At the 13th and 15th shots were collected in straightforward style. At the 16th, his tee shot was to tap-in range. A third two of the round was duly collected. McIlroy had reached double digits under par.

The best was yet to come. He hit his drive at the penultimate hole into trees, from where he could only punch out short and right of the green. Take a four and move on? Not on your life. McIlroy chipped in from 30 yards. His lead was five, his smile so broad. He converted at the last for a 65, 12 under par and a lead of six; a Masters record at halfway.

The leaderboard is so wonderfully tight beneath McIlroy. Patrick Reed had reached seven under but dropped a shot at the last. Back-to-back 69s from Reed emphasise consistency. Victory here in 2018 means he is worthy of further respect. Previous theatre between McIlroy and Reed mean this would be an enticing Sunday scrap, should it come to that.

“I have always wanted to put the Green Jacket on for a second time,” said Reed. “You always dream as a golfer to go out and try to win the Green Jacket.” Those dreams depend on a McIlroy stumble.

Sam Burns, who began Friday on the same five-under tally as McIlroy, managed a 71 to edge beside Reed. A European trio are at five under; Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood. “I’m happy,” said Lowry. “Obviously there is a long way to go but having a late tee time on Saturday afternoon is always a nice place to be in.”

Tyrrell Hatton, who berated Augusta four years ago, has eventually formed a positive relationship with the Masters venue. The Englishman’s 66 moved him to four under. Only a three-putt bogey at the last irked Hatton but by his standards the reaction was tame. He will believe this is a chance to end his major drought. “It felt like a bit of a surprise I actually got it to seven under around this golf course with how I’ve previously struggled,” Hatton said. “I was obviously enjoying it. It was nice to be at that score and not hacking it round and over par like I generally do around here. I guess it was nice for a change.

“I think my results have got better the last few years, which is nice. There are spots around the golf course that are very difficult. I don’t shy away from saying things, that’s just how I am and I won’t change.”

From three under, Brooks Koepka shrugged off the pre-tournament comments of Tom Watson. As far as Watson is concerned, Koepka was let off lightly by being allowed to return to the PGA Tour from the LIV circuit. “Everybody is entitled to their own opinion,” Koepka said. “That’s fine if he thinks that. He’s not the first person that has thought that. I’m just grateful to be out here. The people that make those decisions let me out here. If you’re going to get the opportunity to come back out you’re going to take it.”

Those to depart at halfway included Robert MacIntyre, Tom McKibbin, Cameron Smith and Fred Couples. The 66-year-old Couples is due huge praise for outscoring 16 players in the field. So, too, is Li Haotong.

The Chinese player explained he has been “living in the toilet” due to stomach issues. Not so much Bryson DeChambeau, who was inside the cut line before making an almighty cock-up of the 18th. DeChambeau found the trees, then a bunker from which he could not exit in one shot. The rest is already messy history. Farewell, Bryson.

Jon Rahm bravely battled back from Thursday’s 78 to make the cut, thanks to a 70. Ordinarily, anybody who makes it into the Saturday draw at Augusta has at least a small opportunity of winning. These are not typical times. McIlroy is dictating the terms.