Masters – After the Third Round:
Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland is in the lead with a score of 12 under par.
Bryson DeChambeau from the USA is close behind at 10 under.
Corey Conners from Canada is at 8 under.
Patrick Reed (USA) and Ludvig Åberg (Sweden) are tied at 6 under.
Jason Day (Australia), Scottie Scheffler (USA), Shane Lowry (Ireland), and Justin Rose (England) are all at 5 under.
Other well-known players:
Zach Johnson and Xander Schauffele (both USA) are 4 under.
Collin Morikawa (USA) and Viktor Hovland (Norway) are at 3 under.
Tyrrell Hatton (England) is at 2 under.
Jordan Spieth (USA) is 1 under.
Jon Rahm (Spain) is at even par.
Aaron Rai and Tommy Fleetwood (England) are 1 over.
Matt Fitzpatrick (England) is 2 over.
Danny Willett (England) is 3 over.
Rory McIlroy is getting closer to winning the Masters for the first time after a strong third round on Saturday.
The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland played very well, scoring a six-under 66, including two eagles. He now leads the tournament at 12 under par after three rounds.
McIlroy was almost further ahead, but Bryson DeChambeau made a late push with three birdies in his last four holes. One of them was a long 50-foot putt on the 18th hole. DeChambeau finished with a three-under 69 and is now just two shots behind at 10 under.
McIlroy has already won four major golf tournaments — the US Open, The Open, and two PGA Championships — but he has never won the Masters. His last major win was in 2014.
One of his most disappointing moments at the Masters was in 2011, when he was 21. He had a four-shot lead but struggled badly on the last day, scoring 80 and finishing tied for 15th.
Now, more experienced and confident, McIlroy has another chance to make history. If he wins, he’ll become just the sixth golfer to win all four major championships — a career Grand Slam.
Corey Conners from Canada is in third place at 8 under. Patrick Reed and Ludvig Åberg are at 6 under. Justin Rose, who was leading earlier, is now at 5 under after a tougher round. He’s joined by defending champion Scottie Scheffler, Ireland’s Shane Lowry, and Australia’s Jason Day.
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McIlroy Stays Focused and Moves Closer to Win
As Augusta’s co-founder Bobby Jones once said, the hardest part of golf is staying mentally strong.
Rory McIlroy has been focusing on his mindset this week as he tries to finally win the Masters on his 17th try — and complete the career Grand Slam for the first time in 11 attempts.
To help him stay calm and focused, McIlroy has been working with famous sports psychologist Bob Rotella. Their sessions have helped him stay patient and focused, even after two double bogeys late in his first round. He bounced back with a strong 6-under 66 on Friday, putting him back in the race.
Before his third round, McIlroy talked about staying in the same mindset. He and Rotella discussed the idea of “letting the score come” instead of forcing things while chasing leader Justin Rose.
And the scores did come — fast. McIlroy started strong and stayed steady.
He kept a serious and calm look all round, not letting the good or bad moments shake him.
“You’ve got to ride the momentum when it comes, but also stay logical and smart,” McIlroy said. “It’s a careful balance. I don’t want to be too robotic, but I also don’t want to show too much emotion either.”
McIlroy’s Strong Start Before DeChambeau Chased Him Down
McIlroy started strong with a birdie after a huge 371-yard drive on the first hole. Then he chipped in for an eagle on the second hole, taking the lead early.
He kept the momentum going with birdies on the third and fifth holes, becoming the first player to start a Masters round with six straight scores of three.
He had a small mistake on the seventh hole when his tee shot went into the pine trees. But he stayed calm, hit the ball safely out to the side, and made a smart chip to save par.
His great touch was clear when he made a tough chip look easy — something Justin Rose struggled with moments later from a similar spot.
But Augusta can be tricky. McIlroy lost a shot on the eighth hole, saved par on the ninth, and then had a three-putt bogey on the 10th.
At the same time, Corey Conners made birdies on all three of those holes, catching up to Bryson DeChambeau and getting just one shot behind McIlroy.
Now it was a real test of McIlroy’s focus and strength.
He steadied himself by saving par on the 11th, stayed safe on the tough 12th hole, and made a birdie on the 13th.
When Conners missed a birdie chance on the 14th, McIlroy gained more confidence.
He hit a great second shot on the par-five 15th and made another eagle — his second of the round, a first for him in a major. He finished with three solid pars.
McIlroy saw his lead shrink as DeChambeau made a strong push.
The powerful American has changed his attitude at Augusta. In 2020, he boldly said the course was like a “par 67” for him, but now he’s showing more respect for it.
Even though his iron shots weren’t great for most of Saturday, DeChambeau found his rhythm just in time and finished the round well.
The Augusta fans have started to like his unique style, and he now looks like the biggest threat to McIlroy.
McIlroy and DeChambeau will play together in the final group on Sunday at 19:30 BST.
“In a major, it’s always good to be in the last group,” DeChambeau said. “It was fun knowing I’d be playing with Rory — we could have a great battle.
“There are still other strong players out there, but it should be a fun challenge.”
Moving Day’ Trouble for Rose and Scheffler
The third round of a major golf tournament is called “Moving Day” because it’s when players try to make big moves on the leaderboard. At the start, Rose, DeChambeau, and McIlroy all shared the lead for a short time.
Rose, who is trying to become the oldest first-time winner since Mark O’Meara in 1998, couldn’t keep up as the others played better. The 44-year-old former world number one was one over par halfway through and played worse on the back nine.
Scottie Scheffler, the world number one and one of the favorites along with McIlroy, also struggled. He finished with an even-par score of 72.
“Sometimes I felt good, sometimes not,” said the 28-year-old American. “I just couldn’t really get into a rhythm. Even par felt like I had to work hard for it.”
You can follow the final round live on the BBC Sport website and app from 18:00 BST. Live radio coverage starts at 19:30 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.
