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AUGUSTA, Ga. () – As the 90th Masters Tournament enters its third day, competitors apart from Rory McIlroy needed to make significant strides on Saturday to apply any pressure on the reigning champion.
Scottie Scheffler, who holds two Masters titles, rose to the challenge with an impeccable performance. He delivered a flawless round on Saturday, highlighted by an eagle on the second hole, matching McIlroy’s lowest score of the tournament with a 65. This achievement places him at 7-under-par for the event.
“That’s the hallmark of truly great athletes and competitors—they step up when it counts,” Scheffler reflected. “When you consider the major tournaments, it’s tough to find one more prestigious than this, especially from my perspective.”
“The allure of this event lies in its rigorous test,” he continued, “as you’re not only battling this iconic course but also adapting to fluctuating conditions and the challenges of a tough country club layout. Moreover, maintaining composure under pressure is crucial to succeed here.”
“There are countless hurdles to overcome in this tournament, and as the weekend unfolds, we’ll see how everything plays out.”
McIlroy’s lead had been trimmed to one by 5:30 p.m. On Friday he birdied six of his final seven holes to enter the weekend at -12 with a six shot lead, the largest 36 hole advantage in Tournament history.
“I’ve built up a nice cushion at this point,” McIlroy said. “I guess my mindset is just trying to keep playing well and keeping my foot on the gas.”
Even with the historic lead, McIlroy knows that anything can happen over the next two days at Augusta National.
“I just want to go out and play two good rounds again,” McIlroy said. “Obviously this golf course has certain characteristics that guys can get on runs, guys can make eagles, you hear roars all over the golf course.
“I think the next two days for me is really about focusing on myself. It’s hard to avoid those big leaderboards out there, but like I know that I’ve got a lead. So I don’t need to keep checking it all the time. So for me, just really focusing on myself and staying in my own little world out there is the best thing.”
The largest 36 hole deficit ever overcome to win the Masters is eight, a record set by Jack Burke, Jr. in 1956. Saturday will begin with 11 players within eight strokes of McIlroy, including Cameron Young. The No. 3 ranked player in the world was also making a move on Saturday, into solo second through his first 15 holes.
“It’s nice to watch good golf,” Young said. “It never hurts. I feel like obviously Rory played great, made the most of pretty much everything he could out there I feel like, and that’s what it takes to be beating the field by six.”
McIlroy is playing in the final pairing on Saturday with Sam Burns.
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