2024 Texas Open scores: Top Masters contenders Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy contending in San Antonio

Two of the favorites at Augusta National are getting good work in at TPC San Antonio

If someone this time next week tells you that Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are in contention to win a golf tournament, you are going to want to get to a television as soon as possible. As it stands this week, both are among the top 15 on the 2024 Texas Open leaderboard looking to enter the 88th Masters -- the first major championship of 2024 -- with some momentum. You said on Wednesday that good Augusta golf is boring golf. Is that kind of what you're playing now? 

McIlroy followed his Thursday 69 with a Friday 70 to sit six back of leader Akshay Bhatia with 36 holes to go. However, he's just one stroke behind second place, currently occupied by Brendon Todd and Russell Henley. Bhatia is still holding onto the top spot after scoring 63-70 in the opening two rounds as he looks for his first PGA Tour victory. McIlroy: "Yeah, yeah. That's it, yeah. Ton of pars."

McIlroy's struggles this year -- iron play and huge numbers at bad times -- have been obvious. He has just one bogey through 36 holes, gaining strokes on the field each of the first two days. Whether that's attributed to a visit with swing coach Butch Harmon or simply time working on the swing is up in the air, but what's indisputable is that he's hitting approach shots with more consistency. Continuing that to next week?