Day three co-leader Cameron Young of the US was in fine fettle at Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday. Image courtesy The Masters/X.
By Rahul Banerji
Rory McIlroy clearly prefers the dog-fight at Augusta National to a smooth cruise. Or so it would seem after Moving Day at the 90th Masters Tournament.
Sitting on a record six-shot lead, the defending champion want backwards on Saturday to fall into the clutches of the chasing pack, his 1 over par 73 leaving him tied for the lead headed into championship Sunday.
It gave Cameron Young the chance to pull level atop the leaderboard, the smooth-striking American turning in a 7 under 65 to share the 54-hole lead on 11 under 205 with the 36-year-old from Northern Ireland.
It was an eight-shot swing on the day for the Players Championship winner, who was a stroke behind the 2025 champion after Friday’s second round.
Fellow-American Sam Burns was a shot behind in sole third on 10 under 206 with a solid 68 on Saturday with Ireland’s Shane Lowry by himself in fourth place on 9 under 207 that included an ace on the par 3 sixth hole.
Unlike on Friday when he poured in putts from everywhere besides a miraculous chip-in for birdie on hole 17, McIlroy found himself at odds with the course on Saturday.
He opened with a bogey and dropped four shots after the turn including a double when his approach went into water on the par 4 11th hole.
Tough task
“I knew it wouldn’t be easy, the quality of the chasing pack is obvious,” McIlroy, in line to be only the fourth to win successive Masters titles and the first after Tiger Woods, told Sky Sports.
“I would have wanted to be in a better position going into Sunday after I started out with a six-shot lead, but I’ve still got a great chance.
“I’m in the final group and that’s where you want to be.
“I’ll go to the range and figure it out. I still have a great chance, but if I am going to win I will have to play better.”
In contrast, Young was in cruise mode, picking up four shots before the turn and four more on the back nine against a lone bogey on the par 5 15th.
“We saw today a slow start and a hot start can erase a lot,” Young said later.
“It’s just kind of a matter of keeping myself in it tomorrow and doing the best I can to stay around the lead for as long as possible, and you see what happens at the end.
“There’s certainly no lead that’s safe out there. But at the same time, Rory loves it here.
Cashing in
“I don’t think anyone would have been surprised if he went out and shot 65. But if he does open the door, you have to take advantage.”
The changeup on Saturday allowed the field to close in as well.
Only Young and Burns were within six shots of McIlroy on Friday. After round three, there are now nine players within five strokes of the leaders.
The number includes two-time winner and world number one Scottie Scheffler on 7 under 209 coming off his best round at Augusta National, a 65 that tied him for seventh place.
“We’ll see what happens this afternoon. I don’t feel like I’m out of the tournament,” Scheffler said going into Sunday’s final 18 holes.
Also read: ‘Racehorse Rory’ threatens to run away with the 2026 Masters
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