Clark shoots second-round 68 at Masters, Scheffler struggles in pursuit of McIlroy
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 10 : Wyndham Clark carded a polished second-round 68 at the Masters on Friday to sit one shot behind overnight co-leaders Rory McIlroy and Sam Burns, and Scottie Scheffler struggled on the front nine as veteran Justin Rose gained momentum around the turn.
Clark drilled home three consecutive early birdies before a bogey on the challenging par-4 10th appeared to stall the American former U.S. Open champion's momentum.
He got it back with birdies at the 15th and 16th holes, however, to sit one behind the leaders as he bids to add a second major title to his resume.
World number one Scheffler, who has typically responded superbly to bogeys throughout his career, missed a short putt on the par-4 fifth to card a second straight bogey.
He saved par on six and seven before narrowly missing an eagle putt on the par-5 8th - a hole the two-time Masters champion has feasted on in the past - but still captured his first birdie of the day.
Rose, the 45-year-old three-times Masters runner-up, grinded through his first five holes before earning his first birdie at the seventh.
The Englishman vented his frustration when he missed a birdie putt on the eighth, which seemed to energise him as he responded with birdies on nine and 10 to sit one behind McIlroy and Burns who were among the later starters.
MCILROY LOOKING DANGEROUS
Defending champion McIlroy will look to pick up where he left off when he takes the course on Friday. The Northern Irishman looked relaxed and dangerous in his opening round to post a five-under-par 67, his best start at Augusta since 2011.
McIlroy is trying to become the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters titles - and the first since Tiger Woods in 2002 - but will face a stiffer test in the afternoon wave, with rising temperatures expected to make a demanding course even more challenging.
Unlike recent Masters tournaments, rain has not been a factor this week. Low humidity and bright Georgia sunshine are expected to leave Augusta National fast, firm and increasingly demanding on Friday and through the weekend.
