Rose, Garcia tied for lead at Masters in prelude to finale

We kind of knew that we were being tested at that point in the tournament.

Rose, who made seven birdies and had the day’s best round (67), nearly felt as though he won the Masters two years ago when he shot 14-under 274 and finished second behind Spieth’s record-tying score of 270. He’s had his chances in the four majors, too, particularly in 2014 when he was among the top five at all four majors, including a tie for fifth behind victor Bubba Watson at Augusta National.

“Yesterday (a 69 after an opening 75) was key, I had to have it, and I felt great after the round”, said Spieth, who has a victory and two ties for second in his three Masters. The chance to be aggressive all the way around – “you have to keep the gas pedal down and pretend you’re not”, Spieth said – could turn out to be liberating.

“A one-shot lead starting the day doesn’t mean much”, Rose said. Last year, the Masters was won by Danny Willett.

He summed up his rundown saying, “There’s wonderful storylines”.

Another dramatic finish seemed assured at Augusta National as a star-studded lineup of contenders in the year’s first major championship prepared for afternoon tee times. He not only won that honor but was the first Mid-Am champion to even make the cut.

“I think that the key to the strong finish was the patience that I showed on the front nine”, he said.

Saturday’s round was like watching a high-level chess match, never quite sure who had the real advantage.

Garcia began the round tied with Rickie Fowler, Charley Hoffman and Thomas Pieters at 4 under.

Phil Mickelson, playing with Spieth, shook up the grounds with a birdie-birdie start, but then double-bogeyed the third and watched the air leave the balloon. The 18th played the most hard in round three with Justin Rose making one of just five birdies, with 16 bogeys and two doubles leading to an average of 4.283.

Palmer would go on to win four green jackets and become one of the honorary starters in 2007.

Fowler floundered early, finishing the 10th hole at 1 over for the day.

McIlroy, who started the third round just five shots out of the lead, fired off two quick birdies and a good par save on the par-3 fourth.

“I think it’s going to be tough for someone to really run and distance themselves too much”, he said on Saturday. “This is absolutely why you play the game and why you practice”.

Hoffman lamented his “bad swing” on 16 but chose to emphasize the two “good birdie looks” he had on 17 and 18, although he made neither one.

Rose and Garcia wound up tied for the lead Saturday on a tense afternoon that set the stage for a Masters finale up for grabs.

Garcia has gone a combined 38-over par to average 75 in 13 prior Masters third rounds.

Garcia and Fowler will be seeking their first major wins.

Garcia got rid of the demons and the doubts with two big moments on the par 5s – one a par, the other an eagle – in closing with a 3-under 69. It appeared to plunk into Rae’s Creek but clung to the far bank, allowing him to chip it inches from the pin for a tap-in birdie. On 15, he made a 4-footer for the birdie.

With Rose, Garcia, Fowler and Spieth the last four men out on the course later, we’re in for another thrilling Sunday at the Masters. My fairways hit is 55 percent.

“It’s as simple as hitting the wrong club on the fifth hole”, McIlroy, who switched to a nine-iron from an eight-iron, said when asked about his inability to build on his hot start.

“Hopefully he will help me a little bit”, Garcia said.

Spieth is in a real winning mindset right now.

Sergio Garcia dropped one stroke behind the leader with a bogey at the 10th. Fowlerdidn’t see his bid for a first green jacket disappear until back-to-back bogeys at Nos. The resulting 67 matched his lowest score in the Masters. He will play with Fowler in the second-to-last group this Sunday.

Spieth was the tournament’s 54-hole leader in 2014, 2015 and 2016.