The Day Rory Lost Ground
What seemed like a six-shot McIlroy runaway on Friday collapsed by Saturday — commentators say his lead vanished and Cam Young matched him at 11-under while Sam Burns moved into contention at 10-under. (The Smylie Show summary & Golf Channel ). Podcast analysis also noted McIlroy’s strong strokes-gained numbers earlier in the week before directional misses reappeared. (The Smylie Show summary referenced in media briefing ).
Rory McIlroy’s six-shot Masters cushion was gone by Saturday night, leaving him tied with Cameron Young at 11-under heading into the final round. (golfchannel.com) McIlroy opened the third round of the 90th Masters with a bogey at No. 1, made a double bogey at the par-4 11th, added a bogey at the par-3 12th, and closed with another bogey at No. 17 for a 1-over 73. Young shot 7-under 65 on April 11 to erase the deficit at Augusta National. (golfchannel.com) Sam Burns moved to solo third at 10-under with a bogey-free round, one shot behind the co-leaders. Shane Lowry, Jason Day and Justin Rose were among the players still close enough to apply pressure on Sunday. (golfchannel.com) The reversal was sharp because McIlroy had set a Masters record for the largest 36-hole lead, reaching 12-under through two rounds after a 7-under 65 on Friday. He had been six clear of Patrick Reed and Burns at halfway. (golfchannel.com) That Friday surge had put McIlroy on track for a second straight green jacket, a feat matched at Augusta only by Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods. Instead, by late Saturday, he was back in a two-man race at the top. (golfchannel.com) The turn came at Amen Corner, the three-hole stretch of Nos. 11, 12 and 13 that often decides this tournament. McIlroy hit his approach at 11 into Rae’s Creek, missed the bogey putt after the penalty, then bogeyed 12 after pulling his tee shot left and long. (golfchannel.com) He also failed to birdie the par-5 13th after missing the fairway wide right, and Golf Channel reported that he had not hit the fairway on any of Augusta’s par 5s through three rounds. McIlroy briefly steadied himself with birdies at 14 and 15 before the bogey at 17 reopened the door. (golfchannel.com; golfchannel.com) The Smylie Show’s Masters preview had framed Augusta that same way before the tournament, pointing to firm greens, tricky winds and iron play as the likely separator. The podcast’s chapter listing showed a dedicated McIlroy segment in a data-heavy preview released from Augusta earlier in the week. (youtube.com) Sunday’s final pairing is scheduled for 2:25 p.m. Eastern, with Young and McIlroy going off together and Burns and Lowry one group ahead. After looking like a runaway on April 10, the Masters will start April 12 with 18 holes and no margin left. (golfchannel.com)
