Jason Day having a good 3rd round at the Masters

When Jordan Spieth’s drive off the 13th tee leaked right and nestled into the pine straw with 230 yards and a creek between his ball and the flag, the course wasn’t offering much. It’ll be the first time in his Masters career he’s not in Sunday’s final pairing, but he still has a great chance at a second green jacket.

Didn’t we know Jordan Spieth was going to work his way right back into this? Day three of the tournament, on Saturday, Apr. 8th, will feature some of the best golfers in the world fighting to climb to the top of the leaderboard and hoping to make the final cut for Sunday’s final round.

“We’ve put a lot of work in”, Fowler said, “and it’s nice to see it pay off”.

Two days of survival gives way to a shootout among some of golf’s biggest stars.

Branden Grace has continued his fine start to move to 2- for the day through three holes. Hoffman, who opened with a 65 to claim the biggest 18-hole Masters edge since 1955, made five bogeys in six holes but the American birdied 13 and parred in from there to cling to a share of first. He shot a 69. He narrowly missed the eagle putt.

The leaders were at 4-under 140.

McIlroy got off to the flying start he needed with birdies on the second and third, but three-putted the fifth and seventh, the latter costing him a double bogey after his approach from the trees had plugged in a greenside bunker.

Arnie, of course, is Arnold Palmer, a four-time Masters champion whose death last June has occasioned memorials at almost every stop where golfers have gathered since. The forecast is for little-to-no wind, sunny skies and temperatures in the high 60s.

That won’t make it any less exhausting, not with 15 players separated by only five shots.

Does Sergio Garcia have the confidence to take home the green jacket?

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.

“If I just get in contention on Sunday afternoon, that’s all I want”.

Garcia only really got out of position on the scoreboard. Lee Westwood, a runner-up a year ago, also had a 68 and was five shots back. Garcia made bogey, dropping him to 3 under. He was tied with Garcia, Fowler and Pieters after 36 holes.

“It’s just a stat”, said the 25-year-old Belgian, who won four of his five matches at Hazeltine. Spieth looked done on Thursday with an opening 75 that included a quadruple-bogey 9 on the 15th hole.

Behind them, the leaderboard is absolutely loaded with former champions.

“It looks something like single digits (under par) might win this tournament”, Spieth said then. He shot a steady 1-under 71 to remain in striking distance, a stroke behind co-leaders Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia.

“I’ve shown myself many times that I can contend and I can truly feel like I can win, not only one, but more than one”, Garcia said.