Augusta, GA …
Rory McIlroy still has Masters history on his side in seeking to be fitted with the famed Augusta National green jacket.
The four-time Major winner struggled on day three managing four birdies but also two bogeys and a seventh hole double bogey in a round of 71, and his lowest over the three days, that sees him head into the last day sharing 11th place at level par.
It leaves McIlroy lying six shots from the leading duo of Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia.
The record catch-up winning margin in Masters history was in 1956 when Texan Jack Burke Jnr came from eight shots back to capture the Masters by a shot.
Rory McIlroy trailing 6 shots behind with a round to play in the 2017 Masters
How that seemed to be distant in McIlroy’s mind on a day when eight of the 53 players left in the field broke 70.
Among those was Rose with a 67 and 2015 Masters champion, Jordan Spieth, and sharing fourth place on four under par following his 68.
McIlroy has yet to break 70 after earlier scores of 72 and 73.
“I had some chances on the back nine I could have converted,” he said.
“I had a great chance on 11 and 14 and where I hit my drive on 13 and 15, I should be making birdie there. I was just in between clubs on both those holes and took the wrong one on both and left myself in awkward positions. That’s the way it is.
“This course is getting a bit trickier with the greens getting a bit firmer. Pin positions were quite tough today. I think I probably could have shot a 67 or 68 but there were just a few too many wasted opportunities.
“But looking at the board I’m going to need – my best score round here is 65 and I’m going to need something like that if not lower to have a chance tomorrow.
“I’ll be able to tell you better tomorrow night if I think those missed opportunities have ruined my chances, but I just need to go out and play a good round of golf tomorrow.”
A look at McIlroy’s scorecards over the three days he’s posted 11 birdies, nine birdies and the one double bogey today at the seventh.
In contrast, Rose has recorded 16 birdies and 10 bogeys while Garcia, and looking to win a very first Major on what would have been Seve Ballesteros’ 60th birthday, has 11 birdies, including four today, while the soon-to-be-married Spaniard has dropped just five bogeys.
“The mental side is huge and it’s the most important thing,” said McIlroy.
“Even if you aren’t playing well and your head is in the right place you’ll always have a chance. Around this place it is heightened even more because you can hear what is going on around you, if someone has made a birdie or eagle on the back nine. The leader board changes and everyone reacts to that so you have to focus on yourself and block it out.
“I feel like I play as aggressive as anyone round here. It hasn’t done me much good yet! But it’s one of these courses where you get a bit too aggressive, miss it on the wrong side and you end up not with birdie but with bogey and that gets frustrating”.
