Masters 2026: Justin Rose makes turn with two-shot lead on final day at Augusta
Rose was aiming to make it fourth time lucky.
Justin Rose made the turn with a two-shot lead in the final round of The Masters after a scintillating front nine at Augusta National.
Rose went into Sunday’s fourth round hoping it would be a case of fourth time lucky, having finished as runner-up three times before in his career. The Englishman lost to Rory McIlroy in a play-off last year having done so to Sergio Garcia eight years prior.
It was McIlroy who began the day tied for the lead with American Cameron Young after seeing a six-stroke advantage evaporate on Saturday.
Though he birdied the par-four third, McIlroy surrendered the initiative to Young with a double bogey at four and a bogey at six before undoing some of the damage with a birdie at seven.
Young’s birdie at the second had him 12 under for the tournament, but successive birdies at six and seven afforded Rose, who started three back of McIlroy and Young, the opportunity to take command.
He did just that with a stunning end to his front nine.
Having birdied the first before dropping a shot at the third, Rose birdied four of the final five holes on the front nine, a 28-foot putt at the fifth followed by a remarkable shot from the pine straw at the seventh.
An exquisite chip to four feet set up another gain at the eighth, and a 14-foot putt at the ninth saw him make the turn in 32.
In addition to Young and McIlroy, Russell Henley was also at 10-under as Rose made the turn, with another Englishman, Tyrrell Hatton, joining that group as he sought to set the clubhouse lead.