Final round of Masters packed with ‘wonderful storylines’

All ranked among the top 14 in the world.

As usual, it includes Jordan Spieth, two shots behind and in contention for the fourth consecutive year.

Palmer died last September but his presence has been felt everywhere at Augusta National.

“It’s going to be fun”, Fowler said.

“I’m excited about the challenges that this weekend is going to bring and hopefully I’ll step up to them and I’ll be able to be up there on Sunday with a solid chance at winning this handsome tournament”.

For the first time at Augusta, he will not play in the final group on Sunday, but most likely will be contender. He led for the majority of the round, but a double-bogey on the 16th, pushed him down the leaderboard.

The Globe’s most recent sports headlines delivered to your inbox every morning. In the 13 times he’s played a third round, Garcia has shot 75 or worse nine times, including an 81 in Round 3 a year ago.

Then, as the likes of Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy initially threatened to be the ones to emerge from a star-studded chasing pack on Saturday, only to fall away after promising starts, it was Spieth who made one of the biggest moves.

“I hit my favorite shot I’ve ever hit in competition in my life on that hole, going for it when we had that decision in 2015”.

Posting the best round of the day, Rose went 5-under on Saturday and proved that he could tame Augusta National at its fastest. His rally took off on Saturday with five birdies on a 10-hole stretch for a 68 to leave him just two back heading into the final round.

Former champions Adam Scott and Charl Schwartzel were three and four shots off the pace respectively, with Lee Westwood and Thomas Pieters on one under. So three years, never out of the top two, one win, one lost jacket. He’ll be paired with Rose, a friend, for the final 18 holes.

Rose was runner-up to Jordan Spieth at Augusta National in 2015. Instead of getting grief from my friends for not picking them, I’ll pick a winning score.

Spieth now has the chance to complete the most astonishing of comebacks.

Certainly not with some of the top golfers in the world nipping at Rose’s heels.

Asked about joining Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal as Spanish champions at Augusta, Garcia – who was leading amateur in 1999 when Olazabal won his second title – added: ” It would be fantastic, something hard to describe, but we still have one day to go. Lee Westwood, a runner-up previous year, also had a 68 and was five shots back.

What Arnie would advise Spieth to do next is even more obvious: Make a Sunday charge.

He had birdies on seven of his final 11 holes to surge past McGirt, whose gutsy 69 looked like it might rule the round.

“After finishing 12th here in 2012, Garcia famously claimed he was not good enough to win a major, but said on Friday: “‘I was frustrated then but I probably didn’t accept things as well as I should have. “I sort of got the balance right today, but I didn’t take my opportunities when I could have”.

Fowler also began the day tied for the lead, and remains in the hunt after shooting a steady 71.

Rickie Fowler (-5) – +400 – Fowler has been playing some of his best golf over the last few weeks, and he deserves to be in this spot.

“So it’s awesome. And at the same time, I’ve been on both sides of it now, and I like the winning side better”. I feel great on the golf course. What Spieth will produce Sunday, and what the Spieth era will produce when it is finished, is anyone’s guess.

“Jordan obviously has a special relationship with the Masters”, Rose said. But the way he talks, and with the extreme confidence that he carries at this place, he seems to be very comfortable with where he sits.