Rory McIlroy takes four-shot lead into back nine in final round of Masters

Rory McIlroy remained in pole position to complete the career grand slam at the halfway point of a frenetic final round of the 89th Masters.

McIlroy started the day with a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau, lost it on the first hole and trailed by one on the next, but birdied the next two to extend his advantage amidst a pulsating atmosphere at Augusta National.

After driving into a fairway bunker on the first and pitching out on to the fairway, McIlroy hit his third shot to 18 feet and three-putted for a double-bogey six.

The four-time major winner then found more sand off the tee on the second and could only make par on a hole he had played in three under over the last two days, while DeChambeau two-putted from long range for birdie to take the lead on 11 under.

McIlroy looked understandably downhearted as he walked to the third tee but hit driver on the short par-four and pitched to 10 feet to set up his first birdie of the day before DeChambeau three-putted for the second two-shot swing in the space of three holes.

An absolutely breathless start continued as DeChambeau also three-putted the fourth from just off the green before McIlroy holed from nine feet for birdie, yet another two-shot swing and a three-shot lead.

A run of four straight pars came as a welcome chance for both players to catch their breath, although McIlroy still found time to produce an amazing escape up and over the trees on the seventh, only to somehow leave the downhill birdie putt short.

McIlroy ended the par streak with a birdie from nine feet on the ninth to move four shots clear of DeChambeau, who now had company in second place in the shape of last year’s runner-up Ludvig Aberg and halfway leader Justin Rose.

Aberg had covered his first 10 holes in three under par, with Rose four under through 12 as the 2013 US Open champion revived his bid for a second major title.