The Masters looked as if it might be a runaway entering the weekend.
Moving day changed all of that.
When the sun set on one of the wildest Saturdays in Masters history that featured dramatic movement on the leaderboard, Rory McIlroy’s six-shot lead had evaporated, leaving the defending champion tied with Cameron Young at 11-under 205 and a dozen players within six shots of the lead, including two-time champion Scottie Scheffler.
Only two players were within six shots of the lead at the start of the third round.
What is left is a dream final round scenario for the Masters and TV partner CBS Sports — a championship that any number of high-profile players can win, setting up a potentially dramatic finish.
While McIlroy was spraying his driver, others were bearing down on flagsticks. Birdies at every turn, and eagles there for the taking.
Shane Lowry even had a hole-in-one in the difficult par-3 sixth hole, vaulting into contention and becoming first player in Masters history with two career aces at Augusta National.
The field’s average score on Saturday was 70.63 — a Masters record for the third round — besting the previous lows of 70.769 in 2019 and 70.979 in 1986.
This was moving day on steroids as 10 players shot 68 or better.
The way things went Saturday, Jason Day said it might be better not to be atop the leaderboard.
“I feel like the guys that are leading right now have all the pressure,” said Day, who is at 8 under. “I’m just kind of, I’m the chaser. Usually the chasers don’t really have a lot of the pressure. Guys at the top of the leaderboard always are trying to defend the lead, whereas I’m pushing forward trying to cut into the lead.”
Scheffler seemed to get the landslide started.
Starting the round 12 shots back, he rolled in an eagle putt on the par-5 second hole and went on to shoot 31 on the front nine. He briefly threatened the championship record of 63 before finishing with a 65 after leaving some shots on the course over the back nine.
By the time he walked up to 18th green to a rousing applause, the the field behind him was posting some low scores, too.
Young matched Scheffler’s 65.
Sam Burns, who is one shot behind the leaders, shot 68. Lowry also shot 68 and is two shots back. Day (68) and Justin Rose (69) had clawed to within three of the lead and Scheffler was tied for seventh, four back and well within striking distance.
“I was aware that (McIlroy) wasn’t kind of stretching (the lead) out, so kind of made it feel like, yeah, all to play for,” Rose said.
Rose is well aware that anything can happen on Sunday at the Masters.
Last year, he trailed McIlroy by seven shots entering the final round, only to catch him before losing in a playoff.
“I think I had to have a big mental reset going into the final round last year,” Rose said. “You know, this year it’s like — it feels like a little bit of a free run at it.”
Burns, who played in the final pairing with McIlroy, said he simply tried to focus on his own game.
That will be his plan again Sunday.
“I can’t control anything anyone else does,” Burns said. “I can only control myself, and so that’s kind of what the mentality we took today. Just focus on our process and go out there and compete.”
On Sunday, Young will go off in the final pairing with McIlroy.
He has some history on his side.
In the previous two years, the winner of the Players Championship has gone on to win the Masters.
One thing is for certain: McIlroy’s rounds of 67 and 65 to start the Masters now seem like ancient history and a testament to how quickly things can change at Augusta National.
That’s why Young planned to put his 65 behind him quickly as possible.
“Yeah, I’ll probably give myself some time to think about it right now for the next 30 minutes or so,” Young said. “After that, it’s kind of a battle of managing how you want to react to those things. To me, it’s just a matter of going right back to how am I going to run my day tomorrow.”
READ MORE:LSU’s Sam Burns one shot off the lead entering the final day of the Masters
