He’s won each of the other three majors and the Masters is the only event remaining for him to win the career Grand Slam.
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Rory McIlroy was struggling to bridge the gap between himself and the top of the Masters leaderboard on Saturday as the third round progressed at Augusta National, writes Simon Lewis.
And Garcia managed to finally hold his Saturday-at-Augusta demons at bay with a decent round of 70 for a six-under total.
Garcia, the most vexed player without a major in his generation, hung his head when a 4-iron from the first cut of rough on the par-5 13th came out soft and disappeared into the tributary of Rae’s Creek in front of the green. Garcia stretched the margin to two strokes with another birdie at the third, driving the ball just short to the green, pulling off a delicate chip and knocking in an 8-footer.
Sitting just one shot adrift of the leaders is Rickie Fowler, who similarly to Garcia is still seeking his maiden major title.
“This is by far the best I’ve felt in a major”, he told reporters.
Fowler finished in the top five in all four majors in 2014 but was sharing an overnight lead in one for the first time, while Hoffman was ninth at Augusta in 2015 after lying second at halfway. And when he surveyed the landscape, he’s not sure any of that matters.
“It doesn’t seem like it’s burned him too much in the way he speaks about some of his close calls”. A few players had a fleeting bit of hope, most notably Matt Kuchar after a hole-in-one at the 16th, but no one seriously challenged the guys out front.
Fowler said: “I hit a lot of really good putts today that kept the round going”. Garcia quickly pulled ahead by three shots, thanks to his pair of birdies and a bogey by Rose, but his playing partner erased that deficit before the turn with three straight birdies. “I feel like I play as aggressive as anyone around here”, he said. “I think that at the end of the day, that’s really the only thing you can do”.
Belgium’s Pieters, trying to become the first Masters debutante since 1979 to win the green jacket, eagled the par-5 13th and opened with his lone bogey, shot 68. Caddie Michael Greller pushed for a layup from 228 yards, and Spieth agreed that was the smart shot. He almost holed a wedge from the fairway on the 15th for another birdie and wound up with a 68.
“It’s win or go home”. “Having a chance of winning a major and winning here at Augusta, it’s extra exciting”.
Jordan Spieth said he did Rickie Fowler no favors Sunday. His Saturday 71 left him six shots behind the leaders. There are 10 golfers in red numbers and another 10 within seven shots of the leaders.
Also challenging were Australian Adam Scott, the 2013 victor, at three under, with 2011 champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa another shot back.
You probably have to go back to 2007 when we had the last disappointing Masters when Zack Johnson grinded his way to victory in over-par figures.
It would be extraordinary if today was a tiresome day with this leaderboard, even without Dustin Johnson and Tiger Woods, although it’s been a long time since the latter challenged. “That’s all you want”, Rose said.
“I’m in a great position going into tomorrow”, said the 37-year-old Rose after carding a five-under par 67, the day’s lowest score.
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Thanks for your continued support.. “He was very much pressing for a lay-up there and laying up was the smart shot”, smiled Spieth.
