AUGUSTA, Ga. — This was a Masters moving day for the ages.
The day began with Rory McIlroy, who’d built a tournament-record six-shot 36-hole lead that had him poised to run away and hide with his second green jacket in as many years.
The day ended, after a dramatic action under abundant sunshine that firmed up the golf course to British Open bounciness, with Sunday’s final round poised to be an epic shootout among some of the world’s top players.
McIlroy and Cam Young are tied for the lead at 11-under par entering the final round.
Young is trying to become the third consecutive Players Championship winner to capture the Masters in the same year. Scottie Scheffler did it in 2024, and McIlroy did it last year.
“Really, what I was trying to do was get ready to be playing late on Sunday at Augusta,’’ Young said of his final round last month at TPC Sawgrass. “Now, I’m here with what will be a late tee time on Sunday at Augusta, and that’s the best prep I could have asked for.’’
McIlroy stalled in the third round, failing to make any move as he shot a 1-over 73.
Conversely, Young scorched the course with a 7-under 65 to force the tie.
Sam Burns, who’s hovered around the top of the leaderboard all week, is one shot back at 10-under after shooting 68.
Shane Lowry, boosted by a hole-in-one on the sixth hole, is two shots back at 9-under after he shot 68 on Saturday.
Jason Day, who was paired with Young, shot 68 and is three off the lead at 8-under, along with Justin Rose, last year’s runner-up to McIlroy.
Scottie Scheffler, who led the way shaking things up Saturday by posting an early 65, is 7-under par, as is Haotong Li.
History shows that it’s a lot easier to chase than to be chased.
A lot less stress for the chasers. A lot more for the player being chased.
This was the position those who were chasing McIlroy faced in Saturday’s third round.
There was a sentiment on Friday night after McIlroy had taken that record lead through the first two rounds that he’d put the 90th Masters to sleep before breakfast on Saturday.
Yet, with the volatility of Augusta National in full force, coupled with several hot players in pursuit, it took only 28 minutes from the time McIlroy teed off for his lead to shrink from six shots to a mere two.
As McIlroy made the turn at even-par for his round, Young, playing the 15th hole, was just one shot back at 11-under, 7-under for his round.
Several other players chasing McIlroy came out of the box on fire, beginning with Scheffler, who teed off some two-and-a-half hours before McIlroy was to start his round as the final pairing.
Scheffler, who began the day at even par, 11 shots behind McIlroy, wasted no time in making a loud statement. He looked every bit the World No. 1 he’s been for some three years.
He eagled the par-5 second hole to get to 2-under, then birdied No. 7 to move to 3-under, birdied No. 8 to get to 4-under, and No. 9 to get to 5-under as he made the turn.
Scheffler, winner of the 2022 and 2024 Masters, added a birdie on the difficult 11th to get to 6-under, and now he was a mere five shots behind McIlroy, who bogeyed his first hole.
When Scheffler’s day was done, he shot a 7-under 65 and stood at 7-under, five back of McIlroy, who was still on his front nine.
“I did what I needed to do … went out and executed to give myself some opportunities,’’ Scheffler said. “More of that [Sunday] and I think I’ll be in a good spot.’’
Patrick Reed, the 2018 winner of the green jacket, when he outdueled McIlroy in the final round that year, also made himself heard early in his round on Saturday.
He began the day at 6-under, tied for second place, and birdied his first three holes to get to 9-under. Combined with McIlroy’s opening bogey, Reed was now just two shots out of the lead.
Even Sam Burns, who’s quietly resided at the top of the leaderboard all week, carded birdies on his first two holes to get to 8-under, three back of McIlroy.
Li, who also started the day at 4-under and moved to 9-under just eight holes into his third round, highlighted by an eagle on No. 8, and was three back of McIlroy at the time.
Then there was Lowry, one of McIlroy’s closest friends, electrifying Augusta with a hole-in-one on the sixth hole to jump to 8-under and four back of his pal at the time.
A pivotal moment came when McIlroy hit his approach into the water on No. 11 and took double bogey. That dropped him to 11-under.
Young birdied No. 16 and tied McIlroy for the lead at 11-under 5:32 p.m.
McIlroy then bogeyed 12 to fall to 10-under, leaving Young with the lead at 5:37 p.m., nearly three hours after McIlroy teed off.
