Rory McIlroy pushes his tee-shot into the trees, reminiscent of his opening drive on the first. That forces him to knock out virtually sideways on to the fairway, safety first. That's just ahead of the bunker which Reed finds himself in.

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An accurate drive is needed to avoid the fairway bunker on the right side on this uphill hole. The long, narrow green is bunkerless. It is guarded instead by a series of mounds, the biggest of which line its left side.

These two might as well as have inflatable pugil sticks and be standing on podiums - it's a duel reminiscent of 90s entertainment show Gladiators. Reed is the big bad Wolf, obviously.

Both men are jabbing and wobbling in equal measure. Onto a par five that has been productive for each of them this week...

Jordan Spieth ticks off a straightforward par at the 10th. While down on the eighth Jon Rahm makes a spectator dance like they're in a cowboy movie - spraying his shot left into the first flurry of trees.

Both sit at 10 under.

Patrick Reed could close his eyes and putt this in one-handed. He doesn't, he's far too professional. Back to -14 for the leader.

McIlroy tries to use the slope as a backstop, as suggested by 5 live's Andrew Magee, only to see his ball kick off left. Leaves a testy four-footer for par, but he nails it.

Andrew Magee
American PGA Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

There's a possible chip in coming up. He can use the slope as a backstop and roll it back down. Or he could just knock it straight in.

McIlroy also has a branch interfering with his backswing. Not ideal. He has a few practice swings to see how much it will effect his rhythm, not much it turns out. Rors punches one out, through the bunkers on the right of the green. Looking good... then hits the buffers on the slope.

McIlroy and Reed are separated by the fairway after their tee shots on the seventh. McIlroy grimaces as he goes right, Reed not in as much bother on the left.

McIlroy's line of vision has a couple of overhanging branches hovering into view, Reed has a clear run..

He lofts his ball high, over the bunkers and pitching on the bank behind the pin. Bit of a backspin, onto the slope and it saunters casually down to the shoulder of the hole. Brilliant.

Iain Carter
BBC Sport commentator at Augusta National

McIlroy will feel a whole lot better now because he's made a big pressure putt.

Rickie Fowler flicking a chip on to the seventh green like it's a boomerang, watching his shot curl back from the outer reaches of the smooth stuff to nestle a putt-able distance from the pin.

He found the trees from the tee, punching out to recover and then saving par.

The patrons' cheers are reserved for Jon Rahm, though. The Spaniard's approach flirted with the bunker but fell nicely, and he slides in from 13 feet for birdie.

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The drive on this tight hole is often played to the left-centre of the fairway to set up a second shot from a level lie. From there, a short to mid-iron may be played, but it is important to avoid the three bunkers in front of the green and the two behind.

The seventh hole lacked character until Horton Smith, the 1934 and 1936 Masters champion, suggested that the green be rebuilt and that bunkers be added.

Patrick Reed can't drain his putt down the hill, giving McIlroy another chance to claw one back. That he does - to the delight of the Augusta patrons.

Reed might be a local (of sorts - he studied at the Augusta State University) but it's the man from Holywood who the crowd is backing. A cheer could be heard on the 15th when Reed's bogey went up on the leaderboard, according to BBC Radio 5 live's Mark Chapman.

A third of the way round now. On to the seventh...

Shaun Micheel
2003 US PGA Championship winner, BBC Radio 5 live

Paul Casey is six under on the back nine. If Jordan Spieth can match that he'll be wearing the Green Jacket tonight.

Woah ball! Reed lets his little fella off the leash and it refuses to heel. He's raced that past.

McIlroy has better control of his effort, albeit lacking a bit of pace. Think he will be the happier though...

Another one!

A beautiful, well-weighted, curling putt from Jordan Spieth that loops in from 12 feet on the par-four ninth.

Don't count him out just yet.

Image source, Getty Images

McIlroy has a mixed shopping bag at the sixth this week. He grabbed a birdie yesterday after picking up a par and a bogey on the previous two days.

Today? Not looking like a birdie. Not enough club and he's on the front, about 60 feet away from the flagstick.

The only consolation is that Reed did virtually the same. Putters at dawn.

Whisper it, but Jordan Spieth is slowly chopping away at the leaders and has just played himself into a share of third.

The American cards his fourth birdie of the day with a three-footer at eight. Superb approach play from Spieth.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, #bbcmasters

This par three features an elevated tee and a large undulating green. The shifting levels of the putting surface from front to back make the pin position very important.

In the 1930s, the green was fronted by a stream, and in the 1950s by a pond. But the hazard rarely came into play and was therefore removed in 1959.

Rickie Fowler, par-saving extraordinaire.

The American left himself a lot of work on to avoid a second successive bogey, but skittles in a 12-foot putt that flirts with the cup before dropping.

Jon Rahm can't take advantage of a neat tee shot, two-putting for a par of his own.