Spieth leads by four at Masters
AUGUSTA, United States — Jordan Spieth held at bay a gallery of golfing greats at the Masters for most of Saturday's third round before a nervy finish opened the door slightly for his closest rivals.
Leading by a record-equaling five shots at the halfway stage of the year's first major, Spieth had already felt the heat from the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods even before he teed off at Augusta National.
Then Phil Mickelson entered the fray with a triple-birdie blast early on that hauled the three-time former winner into firm contention. Finally, England's Justin Rose came at him late in the day.
But they all needed Spieth to falter and he gave few signs of doing that before coughing up a double-bogey at the 17th.
By the end of the day, Spieth, with a two-under par 70 for a Masters-record 54hole total of 200, was four ahead of Rose, who had birdies at 16 and 18 for a 67.
Mickelson, who also had a 67, was alone in third on 205 with fellow American Charley Hoffman a further stroke back after a 71.
Woods and McIlroy were on 210, 10 shots off the lead along with Dustin Johnson (73), Kevin Streelman (70) and Kevin Na (70).
"Felt a little different because I played in the morning yesterday. I had a long time. I had 24 hours from the time I finished to the time I teed off. That's a long time to sit on a lead like that," he said.
"Now we're finishing in the evening, it may help just to get back, get some rest, and be ready for tomorrow."