Rose takes lead and confidence into Masters final day

They wound up tied for the lead Saturday on a tense afternoon that set the stage for a Masters finale that’s up for grabs.

Rose did all of his work on the back nine, birdieing five of the last seven holes for an inward 31 and a 5-under 67, the best round of the day. He’ll enter Sunday tied with Justin Rose at 6 under. Five-under won the green jacket a year ago.

Rose, the Rio Olympic champion and 2013 US Open victor, rattled up six birdies over the last 11 holes of his third round on Saturday to seize the lead alongside Spain’s Sergio Garcia. I’m looking for my first Masters, my first green jacket.

In his three previous Masters, Spieth has finished second, first and second, the last one a result of a momentary but fatal lapse on the 12th hole on Sunday a year ago, when he put two balls in the water and took a quadruple-bogey to blow his lead. “Tomorrow is a huge day. You can’t really Jordan-proof it”, Spieth said, per Myers. Spieth, though, started clawing back with a birdie on No. 16 to reframe his focus and, although he was 10 shots down, he had confidence he could contend. “I plan to play aggressive because at this point, it’s win or go home”.

Victory on Sunday would coincide with what would have been countryman Seve Ballesteros’ 60th birthday.

“Just fighting hard”, Garcia said. “It really meant a lot”.

“I knew I needed to get going for sure”.

Jordan Spieth got his name high on those famous white leaderboards, the only spot he has ever occupied on the weekend at the Masters. “It would be nice to have a chance and hopefully do it”. His four-shot lead was gone in 11 holes, and he steadied himself the rest of the way to limit the damage to a 75.

Confident American Rickie Fowler, another player in pursuit of his maiden major title, was not at his striking best but still managed to produce a round of 71 that leaves him just one shot behind the leaders.

“I think it’s a really good thing”, said Fowler, who birdied all four par 5s in the third round and is at 5-under 211. “Guys can either melt down or guys can come from behind and win big”. I’ve got half a chance tomorrow if I can get a roll going on the front nine.

Next is Spieth, who opened with 75.

Northern Ireland’s world number two shot a one-under-par 71 in Saturday’s third round at augusta National and knew it was not enough to put him among the realistic final-round contenders for the green jacket.

Fowler had a memorable 2014 major season, finishing in the top five of all four events – although he did not win. The swing on 16, it happens. Garcia bogeyed the first two holes on the back nine, but got back within one stroke with a birdie on the 14th.

Justin Rose of England hits off the second tee in third round play during the 2017 Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, US, April 8, 2017. Right ahead of them will be Fowler and Spieth, who are also good friends. “I think had I been two or three shots behind, I still would have felt that I was in great position going into (Sunday), which leads me to understand everybody’s mindset behind me. We fought back tremendously to have a chance to win the tournament”. I was on the cut line after the first round, I knew that.

“And at the same time, I’ve been on both sides of it now, and I like the winning side better”, Spieth said. His countryman Danny Willett won the Masters a year ago.

Couples, the 1992 Masters victor, could become the oldest major victor in history at age 57 if his balky back can last 72 holes.

Phil Mickelson started out birdie-birdie before his round fell apart with a chunked wedge on No. 3 that led to double bogey. Couples slumped in the closing holes to shoot 74, but Rahm also had trouble late and shot 73.