AUGUSTA, GA. Saturday’s at the Masters is always referred to as “moving day” and the fireworks were front and center right from the beginning at the 89th gathering in Augusta.
Matters ramped up immediately with the play of Rory McIlroy. The second ranked player in the world started in a fashion never seen at any Masters.
McIlroy birdied the opening hole — eagled the 2nd — birdied the 3rd — parred the long par-3 4th — then birdied the demanding par-4 5th and finished off the opening third of the course with a par-3 at the 6th. All told — six consecutive threes on the scorecard — an astounding beginning. What started as a two-stroke deficit position at the beginning of the round bolted him into a lead he would never relinquish.
Bryson DeChambeau started his day also in an emphatic manner – sinking a twisting downhill 35-foot putt at the opening hole. DeChambeau then remarkably ended his day in an equally brilliant fashion – sinking a 48-foot putt at the final hole and drawing to within two shots of McIlroy.
Interestingly, the two will resurrect their duel from last year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst where DeChambeau took advantage of two late missed short putts by McIlroy and then sealed the triumph with a remarkable 50-foot bunker shot to 3 feet and a second win in the national championship of American golf.
The final group pairing will mark the first time the two have ever been paired in a major championship.
The stakes for McIlroy could not be any higher.
His last win in a major championship dates back to 2014 at the PGA Championship at Valhalla. McIlroy’s lead position this year at Augusta is the first time he’s been in the command seat with just 18 holes to play since that major in Louisville. The Northern Irishman has won four of five times he has held the 54-hole lead. The most telling failure came in 2011 when he lost a four-shot lead at Augusta and ended up scoring an abysmal 80.
Should McIlroy earn the green jacket he will become just the 6th golfer to have won the career Grand Slam and the first to do so in 90 years at Augusta since Gene Sarazen first accomplished that feat when winning the second Masters ever played in 1935.
Remarkably, McIlroy bounced back Friday and Saturday after having his first round featured late round scoring potholes with double-bogies at the 15th and 17th holes and a 72 score. Since those specific hiccups his play has been superb with consecutive rounds of 66 — achieved with two eagles, eight birdies and just two bogies on his scorecard.
McIlroy stated a clear context on what he now faces for Sunday.
“I think I still have to remind myself that there’s a long way to go, just like I said yesterday, 18 holes,” McIlroy said. “I, just as much as anyone else, know what can happen on the final day here.”
Related: Zach’s back at the Masters
If McIlroy finishes the job Sunday, his seven-stroke deficit would tie the largest through 18 holes by a Masters winner — Nick Faldo (1990) and Woods (2005) also came back from that many.
DeChambeau’s round started off magnificently at the opening hole but his approach play was inconsistent for a number of the early holes. Fortunately, his skills with the putter saved him time after time.
When McIlroy eagled the par-5 15th his lead extended momentarily to four shots over Canadian Corey Connors and five shots over DeChambeau. Bryson, playing behind Rory, closed out the round with birdies at the 15th, 16th and followed that with a superb two-putt for par from 45-feet at the 17th before the stunning closing birdie at the 18th to narrow the margin to two shots.
The personalities of the two could not be more different. McIlroy stated he will remain focused on his play but the combustible DeChambeau has become a fan favorite with his demonstrative emotions. After sinking a short birdie putt at the 16th, DeChambeau turned to the gallery across from the pond that guards the green and the fist pumps only caused the assembled patrons to roar even louder.
The closing birdie at the 18th came after hitting his tee shot into one of the two fairway bunkers on the hole. Bryson played a quality approach to 48-feet from the hole. Incredibly, DeChambeau then holed the putt and the large-size gallery that encircled the green went into a long and loud roar of approval.
McIlroy and DeChambeau will tee off in the final pairing at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
DeChambeau also placed the appropriate context for what lies ahead.
“It will be the grandest stage that we’ve had in a long time, and I’m excited for it,” DeChambeau said. “We both want to win really, really badly. You know, shoot, there’s a lot of great players behind us, too. Got to be mindful of that and focus. It’s about who can control themselves and who can execute the golf shots the best.”
The stinging defeat McIlroy suffered at Pinehurst can be placed in his rear-view mirror with a win at Augusta. However, should he taste defeat again – and if that victor is named DeChambeau – the burden of continuing with his major-less streak may be a curse he may never overcome.
A win Sunday at the Masters would mark DeChambeau’s 3rd major title. Only he and Brooks Koepka have won major titles as LIV Golf members after leaving the PGA Tour.
For two rounds Englishman Justin Rose commanded the top spot with a 136 total and one-shot lead. Unfortunately, Rose fell back with a Saturday score of 75.
Just two shots behind DeChambeau is Connors with a round of 70 and 208 total. Two golfers — 2018 Masters winner Patrick Reed and Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg are at 210 with each scoring 69 in Saturday’s 3rd round.
The contest with McIlroy and DeChambeau in the final pairing will keep golfers globally on the edge of their seats. If the play from Saturday is even remotely comparable to what was seen Saturday this Masters may indeed rank as one of the most exciting in the tournament’s history.
