For the second day running Rory McIlroy shot the best round at Augusta National. After Thursday’s level-par 72, derailed by two eagles in the last four holes, it felt like the world had fallen in but the Northern Irishman has since been brilliant.
The beginning of this third-round 66 was as good as anything we’ve seen here in years, then came a mid-round wobble before another big finish.
On Sunday, as he goes in search of the career Grand Slam that we’ve talked about since the 2015 Masters; he will play alongside Bryson DeChambeau, who finished with a putt all the way across the 18th green.
After what happened at last year’s US Open the script is almost perfect. The lead is two.
Here’s how Rory compiled his stunning six-under Saturday 66
1) If you want to announce yourself to Masters Saturday then you hit driver a ludicrous 371 yards – 371 yards! – to leave a pitch of 105 yards and a 12-footer that went in dead centre. Birdie 3
2) Another bombed driver to leave just 219 in to the par 5. It finishes just over the green and the big, swinging chip makes its way into the hole for a three. He now leads the Masters. Eagle 3
3) A drive and a pitch up the green and another birdie. He’s -10 for his last 21 holes. Birdie 3
4) The par 3 measures a whopping 247 yards, McIlroy thrashes a long iron to the left fringe and putts up to the hole side. Par 3
5) Another ideal tee shot with the chief. Corey Conners has 240 in, Rory is 70 yards ahead. Knocks it in to 20 feet and knocks it in at pace. Sky commentator Butch Harmon is beside himself and he’s three clear. Birdie 3
6) He comes up short and knocks his putt from distance 10ft past. Rolls it in and makes Masters history with six straight 3s to open with. Par 3
7) The tee shot finishes way right near the 17th tee but he has a shot over the pines which finishes long and left. Gets a free drop and makes a quite brilliant up and down – ‘Are you kidding me?’ says Butch – and it’s almost his best hole yet from where he was. Par 4
The third round produced a story and leader board that only fate could have designed. What's next? A Sunday duel. #themasters https://t.co/nV0gaalk24
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2025
8) The first drop of the head as he finds the bunker off the tee and his recovery finds the face. He still has 188 yds left, goes long and left, chips up short and misses. Still three clear. Bogey 6
9) A massive high draw off the tee which winds up 347 yards away. A wedge to 4ft but the putt slips by as Bryson eagles the 8th. Par 4
10) A 3-wood draw onto the flat and a quiet 9-iron to the back corner. The putt rolls on and the par effort slides by. Two bogeys in three holes. Bogey 5
11) A slightly anxious hook but it lands and stays on the short grass and the approach is stalled by the wind. Chips it up and makes the 9-footer for a crucial save. Par 4
12) No messing as the tee shot lands on the back edge and the putt is stone dead. Par 3
13) Finishes just short of the pine straw from where he made the eagle on Friday. The approach just eludes the sand to the right, he chips up to four feet and makes it. Back to two clear of Conners. Birdie 4
14) A 3-wood goes left and, again, he goes up and over the trees. And into the patrons which saves him from bounding through. The chip slides by but it’s another save. Par 4
15) Another bomb with the driver, 339 yards straight down the centre. From 205 he launches a 6-iron, marches after it and it lands six feet away. He drains the putt. A second three on a par 5 and four clear. Eagle 3
Eagle for the solo lead. #themasters pic.twitter.com/gzdEIgccma
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 12, 2025
16) An 8-iron straight at it to leave a breaking putt which never threatens but also leaves no work to do. Par 3
17) A 3-wood and the tee peg is plucked from the ground before the ball lands. From 178 another iron finishes pin high, 6ft away. Not much is holed on the 17th green and that remains the case here. Par 3
18) The driver is long enough to get past the trouble down the right, pin high on the right side of the pin but the 15-footer never looks like breaking enough. Par 4
This could have been something ridiculous; the bogey on the par-5 8th, the shortish birdie putt on the next, three putts on 10 and the chances on the last three holes.
But this was something else, both for the opening seven holes and the way he recovered from the bogeys midway through his round.
Roll on Sunday, it’s going to be epic.
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