Scotland's MacIntyre hits 64 to take lead at Texas Open as Masters looms

[p]Having eagled the par-five 14th hole, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/macintyre-robert/SGvTWqfP/"]MacIntyre[/a] birdied four of his final five holes on day two to open up a commanding advantage.[/p][p]His nearest rival was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/aberg-ludvig/67ZVNhdN/"]Ludvig Aberg[/a], four strokes back on 10-under.[/p][p]MacIntryre's 130 is the lowest opening 36-hole score since the Texas Open moved to its current course, TPC San Antonio, in 2010.[/p][p]Asked what had gone well for him on Friday, MacIntyre replied: [b]"Everything."[/b][/p][p][b]"I've been driving the ball nice... Iron play today was exceptional, I would say. Hit a pure wedge shot on 17, I thought it was absolutely dynamite there," [/b]he said.[/p][embed guid="3dc65165-f6a1-4c85-b3f4-347cfd2debe2" url="https://x.com/Golfbet/status/2040218512153592098" social-type="twitter" /][p]MacIntyre, ranked 11th in the world, will be among the contenders at next week's Masters, the first major of 2026.[/p][p]He said he had entered the Texas Open to be "sharper going into Augusta," after having skipped San Antonio last year.[/p][p][b]"I prefer playing my way in whether it's one, two, sometimes three events before a major,"[/b] he said.[/p][p]For overnight leader [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hubbard-mark/bszifbSp/"]Mark Hubbard[/a], though, it was a day to forget after he opened with a fine 65 on Thursday.[/p][p]The American struck a 77 on Friday, including six bogeys and a double bogey on the 5th, where he became trapped in the rough beyond the green.[/p]