Reed pulls away from everyone but McIlroy

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The only thunder was on the ground, not in the sky, a series of ear-splitting roars for Patrick Reed and his two eagles, Rory McIlroy and his final birdie, and everyone else who tried desperately to keep up with them in the Masters.

“The roars … it’s hard not to know what’s going on,” McIlroy said.

By the end of a wet and wild Saturday at Augusta National, Reed helped bring this Masters into focus.

Reed seized control with a pair of eagles on the back nine, two big pars and a 5-under 67 that gave him a three-shot lead over McIlroy as he goes for his first major in the city where he led undermanned Augusta State to two NCAA titles.

His primary challenger is McIlroy, in the final group at the Masters for the first time in seven years, this time with a shot at the career Grand Slam.

MASTERS

This time it’s for a green jacket, not a gold Ryder Cup trophy.

This is for themselves, not for team.

Reed and McIlroy are indelibly linked to that Ryder Cup singles match at Hazeltine some 18 months ago when they traded big putts and uppercuts until Reed prevailed on the 18th hole.

“It won’t be quite as intense as that Ryder Cup match, I don’t think,” McIlroy said, alluding to the partisan and at times rude nature of cheers rarely found at Augusta National.

“I think we’ll still be feeling it. It’s the latest round of a major championship. Patrick is going for his first major. And I’m going for … something else.”

He paused and smiled upon hearing a few chuckles.

That “something else” is something grand. At stake for the McIlroy is the final leg of the career Grand Slam, achieved by only five other players, and completed only once before at the Masters, by Gene Sarazen in 1935.

“It’s going to be good fun,” he said. Reed ran off three straight birdies around the turn, and he stretched his lead to as many as five shots with his eagles.

The first one was a 15-foot putt on the 13th hole. The next one was far more bold. From just under 270 yards, with the rain making the air feel heavy, Reed hit 3-wood just over the water and short of the bunker. His chip from 80 feet slammed against the pin and dropped for eagle. Reed pumped his fist, the kind of emotion he typically saves for the Ryder Cup.

He was at 14-under 202. McIlroy made up a five-shot deficit in eight holes when he chipped in for eagle on the par-5 eighth.

Reed was in the group behind him, and perhaps the cheers inspired him. He holed a 10-footer for birdie, the start of three in a row to regain control.

“Any time you hear a bunch of roars, you’re going to get excited, especially if you feel like you’re playing some good golf,” Reed said. “Felt like I was doing what I needed to do. Of course, I heard the roar on 8, but then to birdie 8, to make the putt on 9, and then hit a good shot on 10 and make birdie there … I just felt like from that point, the crowds were electrified.

“You had to ride the momentum and keep it going.”

McIlroy can only hope he didn’t use up all his luck.

■ Contending: Rickie Fowler is five shots behind and Jon Rahm of Spain is six shots back. Each shot a 65.

■ Tiger tales: Tiger Woods played the par 5s in 1 over and shot 72. He is 18 shots behind.

■ Key statistic: Reed has rounds of 6966-67. No one has ever shot all four rounds in the 60s at the Masters.

■ Quotable: “We’ve actually got quite a good relationship, but at the end of the day, it’s business and we’re both trying to do something pretty special.” — McIlroy on playing with Reed in the final group

■ Television: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, KLAS-8