Rose blooms on Augusta’s back nine to grab share of lead

But the odds are heavily against him.

While the 54-hole lead is shared by Olympic gold medalist Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia at 6-under par 204, Spieth surged into the storyline with a third-round 68 that left him two shots off the lead and with a chance to win for the second time in three years. He starts hitting better golf shots in the clutch.

They had a one-shot lead over Rickie Fowler, who made birdies on all four of the par 5s to offset a few mistakes in a round of 71. All of them can step into the final round with expectation.

He made birdies on the 13th hole — his third of the tournament on the par 5 — and 15th to inch within a shot of the top.

The 37-year-old Spaniard’s years of major frustration include four runner-up efforts – the first to Tiger Woods as a teen in the 1999 PGA Championship – and a Masters-best share of fourth in 2004.

Rose is the betting favorite Sunday, with bookmakers offering 5-2 odds.

Hoffman, the world number 52, was putting together another solid round until he pulled a seven-iron into water at the 16th hole and made a double-bogey on the way to a level-par 72.

“And I’m very optimistic I’m going to make a good run”. His shot off the pine straw at 13 to set up a birdie that brought memories of Phil Mickeslon in 2010, who was there to witness Spieth’s mimicking Saturday.

On a congested U.S. Masters leaderboard full of major champions and big names, American Ryan Moore has slipped quietly under the radar in his bid to win a first major title. This is a place I dearly love and would dearly love to be part of the history here.

Playing with a marker in the first group, Els posted a 6-over 78 Sunday and will likely finish with the highest score of anyone making the cut at 20 over.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself but it would mean …” “Tomorrow is a huge day. I sort of got the balance right today, but I didn’t take my opportunities when I could have”.

He believes it will be a thinking-man’s game Sunday, particularly on the back nine. “I have to continue to play good, aggressive golf”.

“I went to bed with my heart pumping faster [Friday] night because of that round than I probably will [Saturday] night, because I knew I had a chance, ” he said. And if I don’t, then so be it.

“I’ve been in the lead for 36 holes and more than that, nearly all of today”, he said, still smiling after the third round.

If both Spieth and Rose have points to prove, the great news for the rest of us is that a compact Augusta leaderboard lends itself to several more potential outcomes.

“These are the hardest wedge shots in the world”, CBS analyst and two-time Masters competitor Frank Nobilo said off air. With a four-under 68 third round, he’s well within contention of a second green jacket. The climb got steeper and steeper the further McIlroy advanced into his round, to the extent that it seemed his putter was more like an ice-pick it was that cold as he failed to take advantage of a number of chances.

Garcia also had an answer for a three-putt bogey at No. 9: he marched to the 10th tee and proceeded to hit all but one fairway on the second nine and all but one of the greens in regulation.

But that edge loses its shine once the money rounds begin, which, if the forecasts are on target, will make the course play longer and softer. Good shots were rewarded, but if you got sloppy you could get on the wrong side.

“In order to win this tournament you have to play to win”.