Sam Burns in Contention

Sam Burns goes into Sunday at Augusta one shot off the lead, close enough to force the final round at the Masters. (espn.com) After 54 holes, Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young are tied at 11-under-par 205, with Burns alone in third at 10-under 206. Shane Lowry is fourth at 9-under, and Jason Day and Justin Rose are tied at 8-under. (espn.com) Burns got there with rounds of 67, 71 and 68 at Augusta National Golf Club, where ESPN’s tournament page lists him third entering the final day. His scorecard shows 12 birdies, one eagle and four bogeys through three rounds. (espn.com) The shape of the tournament changed on Saturday, April 11, when McIlroy shot a one-over-par 73 and lost the six-shot lead he held after 36 holes. Sky Sports said McIlroy starts Sunday tied with Young after “letting slip” that advantage in the third round. (skysports.com) That put Burns inside a much tighter chase than the one Augusta had 24 hours earlier. Golf Channel’s round-three leaderboard listed Burns’ 68 as the score that left him one back, with eight players within four shots of the lead. (golfchannel.com) Burns had already spent Saturday in the biggest pairing on the course. The PGA Tour’s round-three tee sheet paired McIlroy, then 12-under, with Burns, then 6-under, in the final group at 2:50 p.m. Eastern Time. (pgatour.com) For Burns, the position is notable beyond one week’s leaderboard. The PGA Tour identified him this week as a five-time Tour winner still chasing his first victory since the 2023 World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. (pgatour.com) McIlroy is also playing with larger stakes than a single round. Sky Sports notes he is the defending champion after beating Justin Rose in a playoff in 2025, and the Tour said his six-shot halfway lead was the largest in Masters history. (skysports.com) (pgatour.com) Sunday now starts with Burns one swing from the top and 18 holes left to decide whether McIlroy repeats, Young breaks through, or Burns turns the chase into a green jacket. (espn.com)