RORY MCILROY ESCAPES A “SEA OF PINK.”
AUGUSTA, Ga. — It's not often a golfer describes the lie of his golf ball as “a sea of pink.”
That can happen at Augusta National with the breadth of azaleas that dominate the landscape.
So there was Rory McIlroy in the third round of the 2018 Masters on Saturday, chasing the only major championship the still eludes him, when his approach shot to the par-5 13th hole went long of the green and settled amidst the colorful shrubbery.
This is when McIlroy turned botanist.
“I was lucky just to see the ball and I had a stance,” McIlroy said. “Azaleas are actually pretty thin down below. They look pretty thin up top but down below they are not too bad. I could take a stance and get the club straight up and get it back down on top of (the ball). Just tumble it out back out of the pine straw and through the grass.”
McIlroy saved par on the hole and went on to a bogey-free round of 7under 65. He will be in the final pairing on Sunday with Patrick Reed, the Ryder Cup nemesis he trails by three strokes.
McIlroy is in position to chase down Reed and win the Masters, a victory that would give him the career Grand Slam. He was sure not to make too much of what was on the line as he noted that Reed would be playing for his first major and he would be playing “for something else.”
It was in 2011 when McIlroy famously blew up with a chance to win the Masters. He led after the first three round. A final-round 80 cost him his first major.
McIlroy won the 2011 U.S. Open, the 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships and the 2014 British Open. He needs a Masters win to become the sixth to have won all four majors joining Gene Sarazan, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
“I've been waiting for this chance, to be honest,” McIlroy said. “I've always said that 2011 was a huge turning point in my career. It was the day that I realized I wasn't ready to win major championships and I needed to reflect on that and realize what I needed to do differently. I'm ready.” Tommy Fleetwood made five consecutive birdies to play his way into contention.
Fleetwood was evenpar entering the round. He had two front-side birdies, but was still well behind the leaders. And then he went on a hot streak. He birdied Nos. 12-16 and got to 7 under par. The Masters' record for consecutive birdies is seven, by Steve Pate in the third round in 1999 and Tiger Woods in the third round in 2005.
A three-putt bogey on the 18th prevented Fleetwood from recording the low round of the tournament. He finished 6 under par for the day and tournament.
“Holed one on 12 and then just started a run of really, really good iron shots,” Fleetwood said. “I had a chance on 17, too, but it wasn't to be.”
Couples makes cut to tie Player
Fred Couples made his 30th cut at the Masters, tying him with Gary Player for second place all-time. They trail Jack Nicklaus, who made 37 cuts at the tournament. The 58-year-old Couples and Player tied for the most consecutive cuts made, at 23. Couples played the weekend from 1983-2007.
The winner of the 1992 Masters, Couples shot a 1-over-par 73 and is 3 over for the tournament.
Woods stays dry on third try
Tiger Woods raised his arms in victory.
After his tee shots at the 12th hole in the first two rounds of the 2018 Masters found water, who could blame him?
Woods bogeyed the hole Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, his tee shot safely found the green. After raising his arms, Woods made the safe sign with a big smile.
“How about that?” Woods said. “You know, I just, I just couldn't do it three days in a row. I just couldn't do it. And I gave it a little bit more gas on it and made sure that I was long if I did miss, and I hit a good one in there.”
From wire reports