Rory McIlroy makes Masters history with blistering start to third round

Rory McIlroy’s third round at the 2025 Masters began in a way even he couldn’t have envisioned when he stepped on the 1st tee at Augusta National. It was a start that no one in Masters history has authored during the tournament’s 89-year run.

McIlroy arrived on the 1st tee two shots back of 36-hole leader Justin Rose. He blistered a drive down the right side of the fairway, stuck his approach shot to 10 feet and buried the putt for an opening birdie.

The four-time major winner then piped his drive on No. 2 369 yards and hit his second just over the back of the green. In a sign of the scorching start to come, McIlroy’s chip took two bounces and rolled toward the hole. The crowd behind the 2nd green rose just before it dropped for an eagle 3 to give McIlroy the outright lead.

McIlroy followed with another birdie at the short par-4 3rd and a par at the par-3 fourth. When he canned an 18-foot birdie at No. 5, he became the first player in Masters history to start a round with five consecutive threes.

McIlroy then added a nine-foot par putt at the par-3 sixth to extend his threes streak to six.

After making two double bogeys during the final four holes of his opening round, McIlroy has now gone 25 straight holes without a bogey.

“I think overall just proud of myself with how I responded today after the finish last night,” McIlroy said after shooting 66 in the second round. “I just had to remind myself that I played really good golf yesterday, and you know, I wasn’t going to let two — you know, two bad holes sort of dictate the narrative for the rest of the week.”

After a sizzling start to his third round, McIlroy now controls the narrative, a piece of Masters history and is in the driver’s seat to end his major drought and finally complete the career grand slam.