Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy shot a 3-under 69 to put him at the head of a charging pack, including a number of youngsters and an older champion.
The 21-year-old from Northern Ireland went 29 holes before his first bogey, at the picturesque 12th hole, where his tee shot plopped into a bunker and he couldn't get up and down. Otherwise, he showed a maturity beyond his years.
"I drove it good. I gave myself a lot of opportunities. I just didn't make as many putts as I would've liked on the back nine," McIlroy said. "But I can't really complain. I'm in the lead going to the weekend at the Masters."
He's clearly over any bad memories from last year's British Open, where he opened with a 63 and fell apart the next day in a howling wind to shoot 80.
McIlroy will be paired in the final group Saturday with one of his playing partners from the first two days, Jason Day.
The 23-year-old Australian is another of golf's young guns, and he showed no respect for a course he's playing for the first time this week. Day made eight birdies in the best round of the tournament, a 64 that sent him surging up the leaderboard. He's only two shots behind McIlroy's 10-under 134 total.
The third member of their group, 22-year-old Californian Rickie Fowler, also was in contention. He posted a 69 - meaning the threesome combined for a 14-under score - and was in a group at 139.
"It was fun playing with Rory and Rickie out there," Day said. "I can't even remember shooting 8 under. It was just a lot of great golf and I'm looking forward to the weekend.
"I'm sure I will be very nervous. I'll try to relax tonight and just go out there and have fun."
The world's top-ranked player was heading home.
Martin Kaymer played better after an opening 78, but even a closing birdie for a 72 wasn't nearly enough to end his Augusta misery. He's never made the cut in the year's first major, missing out for the fourth time in a row.