Fowler rides fast start to soar into Masters contention

Thomas Pieters of Belgium, hits a drive on the 15th hole during the first round for the Masters golf tournament Thursday, April 6, 2017, in Augusta, Ga.

The 57-year-old will be feeling very confident of winning a second green jacket as he holds the fourth best scoring record in the history of the Masters.

The Northern Irishman had an unfortunate end to his round when he looked to have hit a ideal approach into the par-four 18th, only to see his ball hit the flag and bounce back off the green. He had a bogey on the second hole but rebounded with a birdie on the third.

Garcia, winless in 73 major starts, joined Fowler, Hoffman and Pieters in the biggest 36-hole Masters leader logjam since 1973.

The second-round 69 ended a string of four consecutive over-par rounds for Spieth over the past two Masters.

The sun has been out all day, hardening greens that had been soft and receptive earlier in the week.

For all that happened atop the Masters leader board, it was one name just down the list that attracted most of the attention Saturday at Augusta National.

MICKELSON’S START: Phil Mickelson, 46, is hoping to catch the same lightning that Jack Nicklaus mustered to win the 1986 Masters at the same age.

Garcia has never cracked 70 in a Masters third round, going a combined 38-over par in prior third rounds for an average score of 75.

A bogey on the fourth was the first blemish to the scorecard. His opening round Thursday was marred when he took a quadruple-bogey nine at the par-5 15th. Spain’s Sergio Garcia and American Charley Hoffman are also on four under. Only one player – Harry Vardon at the 1896 Open Championship – has won after trailing by 10 or more after the first round, but playing from behind at Augusta is a new experience for Spieth. He had a birdie chip from in from of the 18th green to make the cut, but the attempt was short of the hole. Hoffman sank a six-foot birdie putt at the par-4 ninth while last-group playing partner Garcia missed a four-foot par putt to leave Hoffman solo atop the leaderboard on six-under as he made the turn.

Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler don’t know what it feels like to win a major.

Here’s our round-up of day three via social media.

The wind gusts up to 40 miles per hour began to subside late in the afternoon, and the forecast was close to perfection for the rest of the weekend, with mild temperatures and hardly any wind.

The third-round leaderboard bulged with credibility and accomplishment, as the winds receded and Augusta National straightened up, just a bit, from its 3-point stance.

“It was another day when you just had to battle and make a lot of pars and try and pick up the odd birdie”, he said. His second-round 79 left him one shot outside the cut mark on seven-over. American William McGirt and South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel were on two-under.