Rory McIlroy holds a 6-shot advantage, establishing a 36-hole record at the Masters.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Rory McIlroy concluded the Masters on Friday with an impressive performance, showcasing the skills of a seasoned competitor. With six birdies in the last seven holes, he achieved a 7-under 65, establishing a six-shot lead that set a record for the Masters after 36 holes.

The final hour of an intriguing day began to resemble a victory celebration.

McIlroy, who started his round with three consecutive birdies, found himself in a tight contest with his longtime rival Patrick Reed, the 2018 champion, who birdied the par-3 12th to draw level. McIlroy had just experienced a few errant swings as he approached the challenging Amen Corner.

“Standing on the 12th tee, I didn’t envision being six shots ahead,” McIlroy remarked.

Before long, he was in a league of his own.

His tee shot over Rae’s Creek on the perilous 12th hole landed 7 feet behind the pin. He birdied both par 5s after having to lay up from the trees. He capitalized on the lower pin position at the par-3 16th for what was essentially a tap-in birdie.

He truly electrified the crowd when he chipped in from 30 yards on the 17th. Although McIlroy couldn’t see the hole from the crest of the hill on the green, he sensed it was good because “I could see everyone in the grandstand start to stand up.”

“That’s a bonus,” he stated.

And there was one more to come — another precise approach that rolled down the slope to 6 feet for one final birdie.

This brought him to 12-under 132, six shots ahead of Reed (69) and Sam Burns (71). The previous record for the largest 36-hole lead at Augusta National was five shots, held by six players: Scottie Scheffler (2022), Jordan Spieth (2015), Raymond Floyd (1976), Jack Nicklaus (1975), Herman Keiser (1946), and Harry “Lighthorse” Cooper (1936).

All but Cooper went on to secure victory.

McIlroy is also tied for the third-largest 36-hole lead in major championship history, trailing only Henry Cotton’s nine-shot lead at The Open in 1934 and Brooks Koepka’s seven-shot lead at the PGA Championship in 2019, according to ESPN Research.

If McIlroy maintains his lead, he would become the fourth player to win consecutive Masters titles, joining Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods.

He had a two-shot advantage after 36 holes in 2011 and extended it to four shots heading into the final round before he famously faltered with an 80. That marked the beginning of his Masters struggles, which continued until last year when he triumphed in a playoff at Augusta National.

Perhaps he should begin contemplating next year’s menu for the Masters Club dinner.

“I understand what can occur around here, both good and bad,” McIlroy said with a smile. “You don’t need to remind me to avoid getting ahead of myself. There’s still a long way to go. I got off to an incredible start.”

Augusta provided favorable conditions. It was warmer, sunnier, and drier. The wind was less intense, and the gusts were more stable. Scoring improved significantly, partly due to more accommodating pin placements, particularly on 16 and 18, where well-struck shots could roll toward the hole.

The scores were nearly two strokes lower than on Thursday.

This did not benefit everyone, especially Bryson DeChambeau. He rebounded from an opening 76 but found himself one shot below the cut line when it took him two attempts to escape a greenside bunker on the 18th, with the second shot rolling off the false front back down to the fairway. He made a triple bogey and missed the cut.

Reed was bogey-free until he failed to save par on the final hole. This also cost him a place in the final group on Saturday with McIlroy. They were paired together in the last group in 2018, with seemingly all of Augusta supporting McIlroy, only for Reed to secure a comfortable victory.

Burns birdied his last two holes to finish with a 71 and will be paired with McIlroy.

Justin Rose, who lost to McIlroy in a playoff last year, had a challenging day with the putter but still shot 69, joining the group at 5-under 139 — now seven shots behind — along with Shane Lowry (69) and Tommy Fleetwood, who recorded two eagles in his round of 68.

McIlroy took three weeks off leading into the Masters and felt it was beneficial, despite the fact that no player has won the Masters after such a long break since Adam Scott in 2013.

McIlroy made several trips to Augusta, sometimes returning home for dinner, and dedicated most of his time to improving his short game, which has been exceptional even without that bonus birdie on the 17th.

“I felt like I was part of the furniture,” McIlroy said regarding his numerous visits to the course.

Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player who has claimed two of the last four Masters, is now 12 shots behind. Scheffler hit into the water twice on the par 5s on the back nine, made bogey on both, and shot 74 for his first over-par round at the Masters in three years.

The players in what appeared to be the B-flight had all completed their rounds before McIlroy embarked on his remarkable streak of birdies. Cameron Young and U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell had a front-row view of McIlroy in full swing at the Masters.

“You’ve got to stay in your own lane, but it’s hard not to watch that,” Howell said after missing the cut. “That chip-in on 17 was unreal. That was one of the coolest things I’ve seen in sports, and I got to witness it in person. So that was awesome.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.