Rory McIlroy needs binoculars to see the flag from where he is but he's judged his eagle putt really nicely across 90 feet of punishing undulation.

He's left himself five feet to help himself to another birdie on this second nine.

Brilliant control from Matt Fitzpatrick, who zips his second shot directly at the pin on the 17th.

It lands perfectly on the putting surface and spins back to six feet. That deserved a birdie and gets one.

Flagged earlier that Tyrrell Hatton had started with a bogey but he's immediately cancelled that out on the par-five second.

In fact all three of this group have birdied hole two to get their rounds going.

As soon as Rory McIlroy hits his approach at the 15th, he follows after it.

There's a heart-stopping moment where it threatens to drop in the water but no, it's safely onto the green, if 90 feet away from the cup.

There's no way he is making double bogey here today.

Scottie Scheffler has a birdie putt on the third but pushes it past. There is not a flicker of emotion from the American although the same cannot be said for JT.

He looks pretty frustrated after spending, what seemed like an age over a birdie chance of his own, which slides by.

In case you are wondering, Wolverhampton's finest, Aaron Rai, is ticking along nicely and has made seven straight pars so far.

A timely eagle for five-time major champion Brooks Koepka at the 15th gets him out of danger of missing the cut line, which is currently projected to be at +1.

Timely probably does it a disservice - it was the most beautiful of approach shots into this water-guarded par-five green.

He's up to level par with three holes to play and you have to feel that will be enough to make the weekend.

No eagle for Scottie Scheffler but a birdie will do nicely for the world number one.

However, he is eclipsed on the hole by the brilliance of Justin Thomas, who chips in from an awkward spot to move into the red numbers with a three on the par five.

Viktor Hovland picks up back-to-back birdies on 13 and now 14 to improve futher to four under as the Norwegian looks to have found the game that has proved so elusive for the last year or so.

Bryson DeChambeau is only left with a long birdie try on 13 despite his power so his strategy was a little off here - and he reads it all wrong so his effort isn't anywhere close.

Hideki Matsuyama does manage to pick up a shot here though and now he's on to three under.

Stephen Watson
BBC Sport Northern Ireland at Augusta National

There were two huge Augusta roars at 13. First when Rory McIlroy hit a brilliant shot from the pine straw - and then rolled in the putt for eagle.

Amen Corner came alive and the Holywood man is right back in contention. I am sure his Dad Gerry enjoyed watching that back home on TV in Northern Ireland.

Justin Rose produces a brilliant up and down on the 18th to save his par after being outfoxed by the swirling wind and air mailed the final green.

From in among the patrons, he used a fairway wood to punch the ball back onto the putting surface and then naturally enough drained the putt.

That's a one-under round of 71 for Rose to set the clubhouse lead on eight under and as it stands he leads the Masters by one. Will he still be in front by the end of the day though?

After that tee shot, it was a step too far for Rory McIlroy to steal a birdie but his putt runs close and it's an easy par.

If he had not somehow contrived to cough up four shots across two holes yesterday, he would be leading this golf tournament.

Where did it start to unravel on Thursday? Oh the 15th.

He's just stepping onto the 15th tee box...

Rasmus Hojgaard has gone bogey, birdie, bogey in the three previous holes.

And he now sets up another birdie opportunity with a wonderful pitch into the par three 16th from the tee... which he takes.

Can the Dane finish with a flourish. He is one of six Europeans in the top 11 players on the leaderboard.

While we're applauding Rory McIlroy, take a bow playing partner Akshay Bhatia who has just downed a delicious chip from way off the green to make birdie.

That was high quality.

McIlroy birdie putt to come.

I mean come on.

There is a line of sight to the green for Rory McIlroy but it's seriously shaded by trees and with loads of overhang.

Somehow he's played onto the putting surface and with a decent shout of a birdie.

Nonsensically good.

Scottie Scheffler booms his tee shot some 360 yards down the second, that's some 50 yards or so further on than his compatriot Justin Thomas, whose ball is also well shy of Spanish amateur Jose Luis Ballester.

It leaves the world number one with 216 yards to the pin and he looks so effortless knocking a six iron to the centre of the dance floor to set up an eagle chance from 20 feet.

Running hot?

Perhaps, and the expletive is unmistakable as Rory McIlroy batters his tee shot way right on the 14th.

Nothing but tree down there.

Just as we were enjoying watching the Brits ascend the leaderboard, a bit of a disappointment back at the first as Tyrrell Hatton drops a shot.

A poor second shot ends up with him needing 15 feet to save par and he misses.

He'll join Tommy Fleetwood at three under for the tournament.

Bryson DeChambeau can't believe his eyes as his birdie putt on 12 just fails to turn at the right moment and the ball just rolls behind the hole.

Just a par for the American and an opportunity missed to share the lead. He's living every moment out there today as you can tell be his reaction to that effort.