Rory McIlroy leads with Matt Kuchar in second round of Augusta National

Courtesy: Reuters

Georgia: Rory McIlroy, chasing a career Grand Slam with a Masters victory, shared the lead with American Matt Kuchar early in Friday`s second round at Augusta National after Jordan Spieth stumbled back.

Seventh-ranked McIlroy answered an opening three-putt bogey with birdies at the par-5 second and par-4 third to stand on 4-under with Kuchar, who opened with four pars. Spieth opened with a double bogey at the par-4 first and followed with a bogey at the second, finding the woods with his tee shot each time and unable to escape the Georgia pines with either second shot.

At the first, Spieth left his third just in front of the green, then rolled the ball to 11 feet and missed the bogey putt. At the second, his third shot reached the front edge of the green and he left a five-footer for par, but missed and needed a four footer coming back to salvage bogey.

That left Speith, the first round leader on six-under 66, in a pack of six sharing third behind McIlroy and Kuchar.