Evin Priest
Jason Day has charged back into Masters contention courtesy of a birdie brace through Amen Corner that salvaged hope of staying within reach of a stalling Rory McIlroy.
After a bogey on the first, the Australian former world No.1 Day produced birdies at the second and eighth which set up a run through Augusta National’s famed stretch of the par-3 12th and par-5 13th.
Day birdied both to climb to eight under par for the tournament through 13 holes of the third round. The 38-year-old Queenslander added another at the tricky par-4 14th to move to eight under.
It left the 2015 PGA Championship winner five shots behind leader McIlroy, who carded an even-par front nine and a birdie at the 10th to edge to 13 under. But a double-bogey at the 11th saw him drop back down into a share of the lead with American Cameron Young, at 11 under.
The defending Masters champion was tearing through halfway records at Augusta National but has cooled in his pursuit of trying to become just the fourth golfer ever to win consecutive Masters.
Starting the third round leading by six shots, the Northern Irishman’s advantage was wiped entirely courtesy of a charging Young and the bad slip at the 11th.
The recently-crowned Players Champion at TPC Sawgrass, Young, tore up Augusta National’s first 14 holes with seven birdies and no bogeys to climb to 11 under.
Irishman Shane Lowry set the crowds alight after making a hole in one at the par-3 sixth. Along with an Augusta ace at the par-3 16th in 2016, Lowry became the first golfer in the 90-year Masters history to record two aces in his career.
Lowry, the 2019 British Open winner, sat nine under through 17 holes and was sat above Day, China’s Li Haotong and Sam Burns.
Meanwhile, Adam Scott was the only other Australian after Day to make the cut and finished the third round at even par courtesy of a two-under 70. Two-time Masters winner Scottie Scheffler shot 65 to finish at seven under.
More to come
