KEEP THAT CARD
Patrick Cantlay: Over par in each of the first two rounds, Cantlay teed off Saturday with nothing to lose and let the good times roll into the bottom of the cup. Cantlay posted four birdies on each nine (he had just five total in the first 36 holes) and posted the first of three Saturday 64s.
TOSS THAT CARD
Charles Howell III: The Augusta native let everyone else have the home course advantage. While others on Saturday chased down the Masters scoring record, Howell made five bogeys on the back nine and signed for a 76.
ON THE COURSE WITH …
Jordan Spieth: The 2015 Masters champion has just one career finish outside of the top 10 at Augusta. But a string of recent struggles has followed him through the Georgia pines. Needing a big day to sniff the top of the leaderboard, Spieth opened with a birdie. Those good feelings didn't last long. He sent his tee ball on No. 2 into the trees, setting off a chain of shots that eventually resulted in a double bogey. He recovered with a birdie on No. 3, but the inconsistent play returned on No. 5 when he left his approach shot well short of the hole in front of a large ridge. He three-putted for bogey, and is outside the top 20.
MASTERS MOMENT
Matt Kuchar: Can't Kuch catch a break? First, playing partner Phil Mickelson playfully tweaked him in a morning Twitter video saying there would be no side bets Saturday because "I'd probably see like .06% if I did win" — a nod to Kuchar's infamous and later-rectified small tip to a local caddie in Mexico. Kuchar then had a 50-foot eagle putt on No. 13 hang on the edge. A hole later, Kuchar begged his approach from 175 yards to "be good." It landed 10 feet from the cup, skipped once and ricocheted off the base of the flag stick.
CHIP SHOTS
• There are 42 players under par through 54 holes. In 2007, there were none.
• The last time Tiger Woods was in the final group at a major was the 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine, where he lost to Y.E. Yang.
• Sunday's altered schedule means the Masters will (hopefully) avoid its first Monday finish since Seve Ballesteros won in 1983.
KEY HOLE
Par-5, 530-yard No. 15: Leader Francesco Molinari made the last of his four consecutive birdies to get to 13 under, giving him a two-shot lead going into Sunday.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"He's the friendliest professional that I ever played with."
— Eddie Pepperell, on Saturday's round with Augusta National member and designated marker Jeff Knox, who rounds out the field if an odd number of players make the cut.
TWEET OF THE DAY
"The Masters is the only golf tournament where it's cool to wear the logo merchandise while at the tournament."
— ESPN's Michael Collins (@ESPNCaddie).
DAY 4
Usually if you set an alarm to watch the final round of a major championship, it's for the British Open. Not Sunday. Catch coverage at 8 a.m. on Ch. 4.
BRIAN STENSAAS
