Rory McIlroy squandered a historic six-shot result in go away him stage with Cameron Younger heading into the ultimate day of a dramatic title defence at The Masters.
McIlroy took the largest 36-hole lead in event historical past into the weekend at Augusta Nationwide, solely to see his hopes of becoming a member of Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as a back-to-back champion undergo a sizeable setback in a outstanding Saturday.
The world No 2 blew the event extensive open when he made a sluggish begin to his third spherical and dropped three photographs in two holes across the iconic Amen Nook, as Younger charged from eight behind to seize the clubhouse lead with a shocking seven-under 65.
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Cameron Younger shot a 65 throughout his third spherical to seize a share of the lead at Augusta Nationwide
McIlroy responded with back-to-back birdies from the 14th however bogeyed his penultimate gap, pulling him again alongside Younger on 11 below after a third-round 73, with Sam Burns a shot off the tempo in third forward of Shane Lowry.
Lowry fired a hole-in-one throughout a third-round 68 and is certainly one of eight gamers inside 4 strokes of the lead, with final yr’s runner-up Justin Rose sharing fifth place with Jason Day as world No 1 Scottie Scheffler charged again into rivalry by matching Younger’s 65.
Younger pulls stage with McIlroy in sensational Saturday
McIlroy instantly misplaced floor with a two-shot swing on the first, making bogey as enjoying companion Burns posted a birdie-birdie begin, whereas Reed opened with three consecutive birdies to rapidly reduce the benefit to 2.
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Rory McIlroy made a bogey on the primary gap of his third spherical at Augusta, rapidly seeing his lead diminished
Momentum went again McIlroy’s manner when driving the inexperienced on the par-four third arrange a two-putt birdie, which lifted him 4 forward when Reed did not rise up and down from the sand and carded the primary of successive bogeys.
Lowry jumped into the group tied-second after firing a hole-in-one on the par-three sixth, with Li the subsequent to push after following three birdies in a four-hole stretch with a tap-in eagle on the par-five eighth.
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Shane Lowry produced an unbelievable hole-in-one on the par-three sixth throughout his third spherical
McIlroy scrambled pars on the fourth, sixth and seventh then did not birdie the par-five eighth, as Younger – enjoying 5 teams forward – closed by reaching the flip in 32 and beginning his second 9 with a birdie.
Younger posted back-to-back birdies from thirteenth however despatched a wedge into the water on his method to a bogey on the par-five fifteenth, as McIlroy began his second 9 with a birdie earlier than discovering water together with his strategy into the par-four eleventh.
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Rory McIlroy made a double-bogey on the eleventh and adopted it up with a bogey on the subsequent
McIlroy adopted his first double-bogey of the week with one other dropped shot on the par-three twelfth, giving Younger the outright benefit for the primary time when he drained a 25-foot birdie on the sixteenth to get to 11 below.
Burns was additionally inside one till McIlroy, who birdied six of his final seven holes on Friday, poured in from 20 toes on the 14th and two-putted from the same distance on the subsequent to edge again one forward.
McIlroy is seeking to win a sixth main title and pull stage with Sir Nick Faldo’s all-time tally
McIlroy safely negotiated the par-three sixteenth however missed the inexperienced from the timber on the par-four subsequent, leading to a bogey to slide again alongside Younger, with the pair set to exit collectively within the closing group on Sunday.
“I would have wanted to be in a better position going into tomorrow starting with a six-shot lead, but I still have a great chance,” McIlroy instructed Sky Sports activities. “I am within the closing group, which is precisely the place you wish to be.
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Rory McIlroy displays on a disappointing third day at The Masters, which noticed him lose his six-shot lead forward of the ultimate spherical
“I wish I had a little bit more of a cushion, but I’m going to go to the range here and try to figure it out. I’ll need to be better tomorrow. I still have a great chance but if I’m going to win tomorrow, I’m going to have to be a little bit better than I was today.”
Younger blended eight birdies and a lone bogey in his 65 and Burns posted a blemish-free 68 to bolster his hopes of a maiden main, with Lowry simply two again after changing into the primary participant ever to submit a number of aces at The Masters.
Shane Lowry heads into the ultimate day of The Masters on 9 below
How can I watch the ultimate day of The Masters?
Dwell protection of the ultimate spherical begins at 4.30pm on Sunday on Sky Sports activities Golf, forward of full protection getting below manner at 5pm and working till lengthy after the ultimate putt has been holed.
The infamous Amen Nook stream may also be obtainable, specializing in the well-known three-hole stretch from the eleventh, with that Featured Group providing obtainable on the Sky Sports activities+ channel.
A feed of the fourth, fifth and sixth holes will go reside every day as quickly because the opening group attain that a part of the course and one other stream covers the fifteenth and sixteenth holes, with Featured Teams additionally obtainable on Sky Sports activities+.
Can McIlroy shut out victory at The Masters? Watch the ultimate spherical reside on Sunday from 4.30pm on Sky Sports activities Golf, with further protection on Sky Sports activities+. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract.
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