It just stinks that my score doesn’t reflect the way I played. But he has a reason for liking his chances in the circumstances.
Advertisement
“If I strike my ball the way I want to strike it”, he said, “and I kind of map my way around the course the way we do so well here, you don’t need to force anything”.
Reducing this year’s Masters to a battle between Spieth and McIlroy would be unfair to the rest of the pack, but there’s no denying nearly all neutral and casual fans will have their eye on the pair during Round 3. The wind that caused so much havoc earlier in the round had subsided.
McIroy’s 1-under 71 tied three others for the best second-round score. For the tournament, only seven players have a total with a red number.
McIlroy showed his delight at holing a final putt, which kept him ahead of New Zeland’s Danny Lee and American Scott Piercy, with a celebratory fist-pump. We were trying to adjust with the ever gusting and changing winds.
And Spieth gave plenty of hope to a cast of challengers that range from 58-year-old Bernhard Langer to world No. 1 Jason Day.
“I’m sitting there thinking if it keeps, if the wind keeps up, it’s going to be tough and it nearly feels like we’re just trying to survive out there and feels like a U.S. Open to a point”. Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, watches his tee shot on the 12th hole during the third round of the Masters golf tournament Saturday, April 9, 2016, in Augusta, Ga. Three birdies in a four-hole stretch at the par-five 13th, par-four 14th and par-three 16th moved Kaufman to 3-under par on his round and 2-under par for the championship. Kaufman fired a 3-under 69 and it could have easily been two better as he lipped out birdie putts on the 17th and 18th. He birdied 15, then three-putted for bogey at 16.
There were the usual displays of emotion and constant chatter and analysis with caddie Michael Greller.
“It was a mental test in really tough conditions”, Spieth said. “It’s a lot easier said than done”.
“To be honest with you, I would be feeling a lot worse about myself if I hadn’t have just seen what Jordan did the last two holes”, McIlroy said.
McIlroy’s round wasn’t any less eventful.
Matsuyama was on his way to a really good round until his putting cost him two bogeys over the final three holes. Coming off his wire-to-wire victory a year ago, that par save from the bunker on the 18th allowed him to set a record for most consecutive rounds in the lead.
“You’re going to have to do something special”, said Willett. “(I have to) understand it’s the position I wanted to be in after 54 holes and not think about the finish to this round”.
On the 30th anniversary of Jack Nicklaus becoming the oldest Masters champion at 46, Langer is two shots behind in his quest to become the oldest major champion by 10 years. That came in benign conditions. If you told me that at the beginning of the week, I’d be very pleased.
Advertisement
So, barring some major momentum swings in Sunday’s final round, it looks like McIlroy will have to wait until next year in his attempt to complete the Slam, which just five players in history have done. The Irishman holds the head-to-head edge, besting his American rival six times, with two ties.
