“It’s to try to keep playing the way I’m playing,” McIlroy says now just one hour away from beginning the third round.

“Try to stay loose, stay free. There’s still a long way to go. It’s a great start, that’s wonderful, but there’s a lot of golf ahead of us.

“I need to stay in my little world. I know the game is there. I have to manage myself; hopefully, I’ll do that.”

Max Homa, currently looking to get out of the wilderness after a tough year, is back to -3 after a birdie on one.

A nice move from the American, who appears bullish about his swing once more.

Matsuyama is -1 today and at -3, while Fitzpatrick has made another birdie, from 37 feet on four, and now he, too, sits in that group at -3.

Matt Fitzpatrick already -1 for the day and -2 overall, sees a nice birdie look drift on by.

Shane Lowry on property and takes a stroll out to the practice facilities, he’s off at 7:28pm BST, less jovial now, with a steely focus.

Could the Irishman chase down his good friend McIlroy?

Now then, Brooks Koepka underway, and he’s ditched the mock neck look that was popular over Thursday and Friday, now he’s in a bright yellow polo. The five-time major champion delivers a big swipe with the driver on one, and it trickles into the rough, but that’s fine.

Fitzpatrick, currently -1, hits a long wood from the middle of the fairway on two, it draws into the green and bounds over the back.

A nice chance at an up-and-down to get one shot further into the red.

Meanwhile, Fleetwood, off at 7:28pm BST, is putting in some work with putting coach Phil Kenyon, spirits high, it would appear.

He looks calm as he wanders into the clubhouse. Talk about an emotional pairing later, Hatton plays with Wyndham Clark at 7:17pm BST tonight. Both men are liable to combust at times, but Hatton was sensational yesterday, backing up a 74 on Thursday with a 66, only McIlroy beat that.

And McIlroy wasn’t as accurate. Hatton nailed 18 greens in regulation, just the third man to do so.

Scheffler’s putter not quite heating up, two pars following that eagle, he stays at -2 through four.

He’ll need much more to become a factor entering tomorrow’s final round.

Aberg misses too, he stays at -1.

Fleetwood has arrived at the club, meanwhile, a quick chat with Butch Harmon. The Southport man is -5 and T-4, but with seven shots to make up to McIlroy.

“That’s the dilemma,” Rose says when asked how he goes about closing the gap on McIlroy.

“How do you approach it? Still, I think you need to be patient, make birdies at range, try not to force mistakes.

“There are games within games, take the focus away from the leaderboard.”

Scheffler makes eagle on two!

Immediately to -2 overall and 10 behind McIlroy, but that’s a significant move from the world No 1.

And that’s a monster drive on three from Scheffler, too, with the ball cosying up towards the green.

If you thought the conditions might knock McIlroy today, then think again, it’s a glorious day at Augusta. With temperatures at 25-29c throughout the afternoon, it’s just the most gentle of winds, too, according to the Met Office. A highest gust of 10mph is forecast.

The greens will dry out and become devilishly quick late on, but that’s to be expected.