The Masters 2025 Round 3 LIVE: Leaderboard and scores as Rory McIlroy surges into lead

Oh my! Rory McIlroy has an eagle at the second! A chip from the fringe is delicate, deft and delectable, the hole gobbling it up. What a start – we have a new solo leader.

McIlroy goes right at the flag at the second, but it’s almost impossible to hold it with that pin position today – in behind a bunker in a shallow section. McIlroy’s high, hanging iron kicks just out the back.

No birdie at three for Scheffler, a makeable putt sliding by for the second time in three holes for the American.

But there are roars at one – Bryson DeChambeau drains one from a distance having flown towards the back. Nobody’s had a handle on that angle today, but beefy Bryson nailed it. Into a share of the lead.

Booming drive, precise approach, perfect putt – it’s been a great start from Rory McIlroy:

Sound the alarms – Viktor Hovland is on a roll. Birdie, birdie at two and three for the Norwegian, who joins Corey Conners and Scottie Scheffler at -6.

Crikey, Rory McIlroy is properly feeling it. Just the 369 yards from the tee at the second.

Justin Rose and Bryson DeChambeau have teed off – all of our groups are out on course or back in the clubhouse.

Rose doesn’t much like his drive, a grimace as he dances up by the bunker on the first. He might well be in it, you know.

A three-wood for DeChambeau, who nails it. Right of centre but A-OK.

Up on the green, will it be a birdie three for Rory McIlroy? It will! A statement of intent.

The low round of the day for Zach Johnson, an excellent 66 moving him potentially into contention. After an early start this morning, he’ll be able to afford himself a line-in tomorrow – he’ll begin again at -4.

Scheffler converts his birdie opportunity to get his scoring started.

The bloke a stroke behind them is pretty good, too. Having found a bunker from the tee, Scottie Scheffler chucks it out on to the second fairway. 107’s the number, and Scheffler very nearly finds it, pitching past the pin and screwing back to leave a dream birdie putt. Tasty.

Here’s Rory. An excited hum from the patrons around the first tee as the Northern Irishan steps up to strike, driver in hand. An ambitious line right over that right-hand bunker…but when you can hit it like that, why not take the risk? Over it goes and onwards further, too. That’s some way to start – just 76 yards left after a 371-yard thunderbolt!

Corey Conners is nowhere near as ambitious, but starts solidly, finding the heart of the fairway.

A nice one to have for Xander Schauffele, climbing the stairs up to another storey on the two-tiered sixth green to get back to -2. Two birdies, two bogeys for the reigning champion golfer.

Now then. Scottie Scheffler is spooked by Tyrrell Hatton’s par putt, which tumbles away to the right at the last. Scheffler therefore adjusts his line to account for the late movement and is then perplexed as his ball fails to fall.

A birdie chance passed up.