Masters: McIlroy no longer runaway

Rory McIlroy’s six-shot Masters cushion is gone after a third-round 73 left him tied with Cameron Young heading into Sunday at Augusta National. (espn.com) McIlroy began Saturday at 12 under par with the largest 36-hole lead in tournament history, but he played Round 3 in 1 over and finished 54 holes at 11 under 205. Young started eight shots back, shot 7-under 65 with eight birdies and one bogey, and drew level by day’s end. (golfchannel.com) The swing came fast around Amen Corner. ESPN reported that McIlroy found the water at the par-4 11th and lost his lead by the time he walked off that green, while Young kept adding birdies during the back nine. (espn.com) Sunday now turns a near-procession into a head-to-head finish between the defending champion and a player still chasing his first major title. McIlroy is trying to become only the fourth golfer to win consecutive Masters, while Young is trying to win both The Players Championship and the Masters in the same year. (usatoday.com) The reset is especially stark because McIlroy had looked in control through two rounds. CBS Sports noted that five of the previous six Masters players to lead by at least five shots after 36 holes went on to win the green jacket. (cbssports.com) Young’s charge was not a fluke built on a single hot stretch. PGA Tour coverage said he paired power off the tee with a calm round that included a fortunate bounce off a patron area at the ninth, then converted the opening into a career-best 65 at Augusta. (pgatour.com) Scottie Scheffler also stayed close enough to matter. ESPN’s Saturday coverage said Scheffler, the world No. 1, remained one shot behind the co-leaders after a 69, keeping a three-man fight in view for the final round. (espn.com) McIlroy said after the round that Sunday is now a clean restart. “Everyone goes back to even par tomorrow,” he said, with Augusta no longer set up for a coronation but for 18 holes that begin with the lead shared. (newsweek.com)