Augusta National is set for a thrilling weekend as Justin Rose has surged into the lead at the 2025 Masters Tournament after two completed rounds. The Englishman sits atop the leaderboard at an impressive 8-under par, setting the pace for what promises to be an exciting Moving Day on Saturday.
Rose holds a slim one-stroke advantage over Bryson DeChambeau, who finished Round 2 at 7-under par. The big-hitting DeChambeau has positioned himself perfectly for a weekend charge, with betting markets now giving him a 15.6% chance of claiming the green jacket.
Not far behind is Rory McIlroy, who shares third place at 6-under par with Canadian Corey Conners. McIlroy's pursuit of the career Grand Slam remains very much alive as he enters the weekend just two shots off the lead.
Pre-tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler finds himself in a tie for fifth at 5-under par, joined by Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, and Matthew McCarty. Despite being three strokes behind Rose, Scheffler still maintains the highest win probability at 18.7% according to latest projections.
Analysts at Statbet note that Corey Conners might be the most intriguing value play heading into Saturday's action, with his odds shortening from +1800 to +1200 following his strong performance through 36 holes.
The third round at Augusta traditionally separates contenders from pretenders, with the course setup typically providing both risk and reward opportunities. Viktor Hovland, Jason Day, and Rasmus Hojgaard sit four strokes back at 4-under par, while former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama remains in contention at 3-under.
With tightly packed leaderboard and Augusta National's notorious weekend challenges awaiting, the battle for the coveted green jacket is delicately poised as the world's best golfers prepare for Moving Day at the 2025 Masters Tournament.
