Jason Day stays an out of doors likelihood to win his first inexperienced jacket, however Min Woo Lee had a day to overlook at Augusta Nationwide.
Two weeks after claiming his maiden PGA Tour title on the Houston Open, Lee’s Masters hopes ended with a five-over par third spherical 77 to fall to +4 for the match.
The 26-year-old began Saturday promisingly with a birdie on the third, nevertheless it turned out to be his just one for the day.
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Six bogeys adopted throughout the subsequent 15 holes as Lee’s method sport abandoned him.
The 26-year-old hit 11 of 14 fairways, however solely reached 10 of 18 greens in regulation as his irons and wedges went wayward, and his sometimes saucy brief sport was unable to bail him out as his putter went chilly too.
He three-putted 3 times after not having accomplished so as soon as within the first 36 holes, and common 1.83 putts per gap, 0.20 greater than the remainder of the sphere.
Chatting with Fox Sports activities’ Paul Gow post-round, Lee stated that he and enjoying companion Harris English being placed on the clock for gradual play by match referees rattled him and messed along with his rhythm.
So as to add insult to harm, Lee was additionally slapped with a one-shot penalty for the thirteenth fairway for being deemed to have brought on his ball to maneuver on the green.
“It was okay for the primary bit after which we had been on the clock and I believe that acquired to me,” Lee instructed Gow.
“We had a 20 minute starter hole which doesn’t look good for us. The ‘ref’ stated we had been one minute behind after which subsequent gap we acquired timed.
“Enjoying Augusta is already powerful, we performed 9 holes in two hours which apparently is actually gradual. In order that was powerful and yeah, it simply acquired to me.”
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Day in the meantime is -5 on the finish of his third spherical, seven photographs again from runaway chief Rory McIlroy.
The previous world No.1 made birdie on the second courtesy of a tidy up-and-down and likewise on the fifth as he dropped mid-range putt to convey his Friday night declaration that he must gap extra putts to life.
He made one other birdie on the 14th through a surprising chip-in after sending his method from the pine straw over the again of the inexperienced.
It was not his solely miraculous restoration act nonetheless, as he punched out beneath the tree branches into the greenside bunker on 10 and accomplished the up-and-down.
However bogeys on the par 3s twelfth and sixteenth, solely his second and third dropped photographs of the week, prevented him making extra of a cost.
On the well-known twelfth, he didn’t get up-and-down after going lengthy as so many gamers do there however then at 16, he took three photographs on the inexperienced, though they weren’t all putts.
Day opted to chip his birdie try from the placing floor to raised fight the huge slope that feeds the ball all the way down to the outlet, however he was unable to get it shut sufficient to safe a par.
“There’s a few greens on the market that I believe are too extreme,” Day in his post-round press convention.
“That one I really hit a fairly good shot going into the inexperienced. I imply, a yard left and it’s down the hill and also you’ve acquired a birdie alternative, and also you’re standing on the inexperienced considering, properly, if I putt it the very best likelihood I’ve acquired is 10 toes aside from if I gap it.
“Attempt to take the primary two yards of the inexperienced out of play which is probably the most extreme after which land it with slightly little bit of lower spin so hopefully it sort of cuts again into the slope after which dribbles down.
“I really hit a fairly good chip, just a bit bit excessive, after which the second putt was good. I simply didn’t hit it arduous sufficient.”
Waiting for the ultimate spherical, Day stated he’s keen to place as a lot strain on McIlroy as attainable.
The 37-year-old shouldn’t be bothered by how the world No.2 performs, as he stated he “can’t do something. Some guys are simply, you wish to go over there and break each membership in his bag, however that’s simply not going to work”.
“He’s clearly enjoying some good golf, so that you’ve acquired to do the very best job you may, and when somebody simply clearly performs higher. I’ve been on the receiving finish of a few these the place he’s run away with it slightly bit, Congressional once I completed second there and he beat me by eight.”
However Day is aware of he stays an opportunity if he can catch hearth and shoot a low spherical.
“I imply, it’s low,” he stated if had a possible successful rating in thoughts for tomorrow.
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“It simply all will depend on what (Rory) does. Clearly if he comes out and let’s say, for example, he’s at 12 and he shoots even par the entrance facet, you get one thing, you get four-under the entrance facet, you’re solely two again, like something can occur. You’re simply going, no matter I simply shot is out the door, I’ve acquired 9 holes and I’m making an attempt to compete and play towards him.
“The factor is that you may get, there’s birdie alternatives, two, three, I made an amazing birdie on 5 at the moment. That’s normally not a birdie alternative. However there’s two, three, you will get one on seven.
“I’m hoping they put the pin in that little gully on the proper there. Eight, 9, there’s particular alternatives on the market to make birdie. So you may climb your means up fairly fast.
“If he doesn’t do something early tomorrow, there’s some strain. That’s the objective.”