Scheffler takes charge at Masters, Woods struggles

Scottie Scheffler birdied his final hole to emerge from a packed leaderboard with a one-shot lead over Collin Morikawa after the third round of the Masters, while Tiger Woods had his worst major round as a professional on Saturday.

Scheffler, who used a back-nine eagle to get his round back on track, shot a one-under-par 71 on a firm and fast Augusta National layout to finish seven under for the week and in position to win his second Masters.

With a win, Scheffler would become the 18th player to win the Masters multiple times, and the first since Bubba Watson in 2014.

"Being patient out there I think is really important," said Scheffler. "Especially on a day like today. It was a frustrating day to be playing this golf course. It was so challenging."

Morikawa, who is aiming for the third leg of the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors, started the day with three consecutive birdies and finished alone in second place with a three-under-par 69, one shot off the day's low round.

Max Homa (73), who, along with LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau (75), shared the halfway lead with Scheffler, was another shot back in third, while Ludvig Aberg (70) was three shots back in his major championship debut.

DeChambeau, who had struggled with his putting throughout the day, drove it into the trees on the par-four 18th, pitched out to the fairway, and holed out from 77 yards for an unlikely birdie that put a spring in his step.

"I just figured was easier than putting," joked DeChambeau.

Scheffler had lost the lead after a shaky start on the back nine, including a double-bogey at the par-four 10th and a bogey at the 11th.

But an unfazed Scheffler joined Morikawa atop the leaderboard with a 31-foot eagle putt at the par-five 13th, where his approach shot appeared to settle about 10 feet from the hole before gathering speed and rolling away.

"I didn't know whether or not it was going to get there, and it kind of just nudged right over the edge and went in," said Scheffler. "So it was exciting, and it was nice to be able to steal a couple shots there on 13 and get back in the tournament."

Scheffler then gained another stroke at the par-five 15th, where he got up and down for birdie after his approach shot from 238 yards flew right off the back of the green, and he offset his bogey at 17 with an eight-foot birdie at the last.

Denmark's Nicolai Hojgaard, who, like Aberg, is attempting to become the first Masters rookie to win a Green Jacket since 1979, was leading after three birdies around the turn before making five consecutive bogeys to fall behind.

Woods, fresh off his Masters record-setting 24th missed cut, began his third round seven shots behind the leaders, hoping his injury-ravaged body would hold up and allow him to get back into contention.

However, Woods appeared exhausted from playing 23 holes on Friday and set an unwelcome personal record with a 10-over-par 82, which tied the day's high round.

"Just hit the ball in all the places that I know I shouldn't hit it," said Woods. "And I missed a lot of putts. Easy, makeable putts."

After a three-putt bogey at the par-three fourth, Woods drained a fist pump-inducing birdie putt from 19 feet at the fifth before suddenly unravelling.

Woods bogeyed the par-three sixth after his tee shot landed behind the green, made a double-bogey on the seventh after chipping into a bunker, another double on the eighth, and a bogey on the ninth after his approach found another sand trap.

The 15-time major winner then combined five bogeys with one birdie on the final stretch.

Rory McIlroy, who started the day 10 shots back and hoping for a low score to boost his chances of completing the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors, shot a one-under 71.

"All I can do is come here and try my best. That's what I do every time I show up. Some years it's better than others," said world number two McIlroy. "I've just got to keep showing up and try to do the right thing."

SportsLigue