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Rose fights for Masters win with McIlroy, Young in hunt / Photo: Andrew Redington - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
Rose fights for Masters win with McIlroy, Young in hunt
Justin Rose fought to shed his "nearly man" Masters label while defending champion Rory McIlroy and American Cameron Young chased landmark triumphs as an epic back-nine Sunday battle loomed at Augusta National.
England's 45-year-old Rose, a three-time Masters runner-up and two-time playoff loser, birdied four of the last five holes on the front nine to reach 12-under par with a one-stroke edge over McIlroy.
Rose, who lost a playoff to McIlroy last year, would become the second-oldest Masters winner after Jack Nicklaus at 46 in 1986.
Americans Russell Henley and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler were also in the mix as last-duo Young and McIlroy made the turn as a tension-packed fight for the green jacket and a record top prize of $4.5 million was on tap.
Rose chipped in from 27 feet to open with a birdie but made bogey at the third.
Rose sank a 28-foot birdie putt at the fifth, then at seven blasted an incredible approach from the trees to within inches of the hole, setting up a tap-in birdie.
The 2013 US Open winner added a four-foot birdie putt at the par-five eighth and when Young couldn't make a sand save from 10 feet at the seventh and took a bogey, Rose was alone at the top.
Rose followed with a 14-foot birdie putt at the ninth, giving a fist pump at doubling his lead.
McIlroy, who shared the lead with Young at 11-under when the day began, two-putted from 25 feet to birdie eight and reach 11-under but missed a seven-foot birdie putt at nine to remain one adrift at the turn.
The world number two from Northern Ireland birdied the third hole but made double bogey at the par-three fourth and took bogey at the par-three sixth before a birdie at seven.
Young, trying to become the third straight Players Championship winner to capture the Masters the following month, birdied the par-five second. Bogeys at six and seven dropped him back but he sank a seven-foot birdie at the par-five eighth to reach 11-under.
Henley, whose best result in 44 major starts was a share of fourth at the 2023 Masters, birdied four of the first eight holes before taking his first bogey at the par-three 12th to stand with Scheffler on nine-under.
Reaching 10-under late was England's Tyrrell Hatton, who reeled off four birdies in a row starting at the par-five 13th.
Despite lightning-fast greens baked intensely over a rain-free week, traditional Sunday pin placements helped deliver impressive shotmaking and excitement to inspire spectator roars through the Georgia pines.
Henley, whose best result in 44 major starts was a share of fourth at the 2023 Masters, birdied four of the first eight holes before taking his first bogey at the par-three 12th to stand with Scheffler on nine-under.
McIlroy, seeking a sixth major title, is trying to join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only back-to-back winners in Masters history.
The 36-year-old from Northern Ireland ranks last in driving accuracy and first in driving distance.
Scheffler, a four-time major winner seeking his third Masters crown in five seasons, sank an eight foot birdie at the first and blasted out of a bunker to five feet to set up a birdie at the third and reach nine-under then followed with eight pars.
Scheffler, last year's British Open and PGA Championship winner, could complete the greatest 36-hole comeback by a Masters winner.
The 29-year-old American was 12-strokes behind McIlroy on Saturday before firing a bogey-free 65.
The greatest 36-hole comeback in Masters history, and the best final-round rally to win as well, was Jack Burke recovering from eight strokes adrift to win the 1956 title.
E.Roger--PS
