Rory McIlroy reacts to taking control of The Masters after NSFW advice from Jack Nicklaus

Rory McIlroy revealed before the second round of the 2026 Masters that Jack Nicklaus offered some expletive-laden advice to the Northern Irishman before his title defence. 

No more f---ing double-bogeys. 

McIlroy has so far obliged the 18-time major champion and, at the halfway stage, has opened up the largest 36-hole lead in the tournament's history. 

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The 36-year-old mixed nine birdies and two bogeys for a scintillating 65 on Friday and will take a six-shot lead into moving day. 

The highlight of McIlroy's second round was a miraculous chip-in birdie at the 17th. 

His former Ryder Cup rival and the 2018 Masters champion, Patrick Reed, shares second place with his compatriot Sam Burns. 

Justin Rose, who was defeated by McIlroy in a sudden-death playoff at Augusta, kept alive his hopes of winning his second major title and is seven strokes adrift of McIlroy alongside his Ryder Cup teammates Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood. 

World number one and pre-tournament favourite, Scottie Scheffler, went backwards on Friday and is on level par. 

Two-time U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau was among the big names to miss the cut. 

"Look, I've always felt like this golf course can let you get on runs if you allow it," McIlroy said after his round. 

"I talked last year about how I really won the tournament in a 14-hole stretch, the second nine on Friday and the first five holes on Saturday.

"I knew I had some chances coming in when I was standing on the 12th tee, but I didn't think I'd birdie six of the last seven. 

"It just shows what you can do around here."

McIlroy got off to the best possible start with three birdies in his first four holes. 

A sloppy approach to the fifth saw McIlroy register only his second bogey of the week. 

He hit the turn in 34 and dropped his second shot of the day at the 10th. 

Despite finding the middle of the fairway with his tee shot, McIlroy found the sand trap with his approach and couldn't save his par. 

McIlroy made a safe par at the next then began to up the ante. 

He knocked in a seven-foot birdie putt at the iconic par-three 12th from seven feet and took advantage at the par-five 13th - the scene of his dramatic double-bogey during last year's final round - with another birdie. 

McIlroy hit a perfect drive up the 14th but, from 95 yards, hit a dreadful wedge to ended 65 feet away from the hole.  

Still, he managed to escape with a par and added another more circles to his card at the 15th and 16th. 

Another birdie putt dropped at the last. 

McIlroy is attempting to become only the fourth golfer in history after Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods to defend the title. 

Unsurprisingly this week, McIlroy has cut a completely different figure than on his 17 other visits to Augusta. 

Before sealing the grand slam last April, McIlroy said he was getting to a point where he felt like he could play the course the way he knew he could. 

He just had to get past himself, McIlroy said. "It was staying aggressive," he added. 

"Like my little mantra to myself today was keep swinging, keep swinging hard at it even if you're not hitting fairways, just keep swinging.

"Over the years this golf course is sometimes my mindset hasn't been 'keep swinging'. 

"It's been guided, tentative. I think the experience I've accrued over the years and obviously with what happened last year, it makes it a bit easier out there to keep swinging."

McIlroy said he doesn't plan to try and protect his lead. 

"That was a big part of the lesson from the 2011 Masters," he said, referencing his epic final-round collapse. 

"Go out there and keep playing, keep trying to make birdies, stay as trusting and as committed as possible."