McIlroy’s ball tumbled into the creek. He bent his spine in half and threw his hands onto his knees. There had been plenty of triumphant patron responses at that point in the day. Here, in Amen Corner’s final chapter, the gasps returned. They did not stop.

Rory McIlroy is one round away from the green jacket and career Grand Slam. He got off to the greatest start in Masters history with six straight 3s on this card.