Scotland’s affable Sandy Lyle will celebrate his 100th Masters round when he steps onto the first tee Sunday morning at Augusta National.
The 1988 Masters champion made his Augusta debut in April 1980 finishing in 40th position.
He will head into his 100th round sharing 46th place at six over par and trailing a dozen shots behind the leading American-born pair of rookie Jordan Spieth and 2012 Masters winner Bubba Watson.
“I didn’t realise tomorrow is my 100th Masters round,” said Lyle.
Sandy Lyle to play his 100th Masters round Sunday at Augusta.
“But in anybody’s criteria at the end of a golfing career and to look back knowing you have played over 100 rounds of golf at the Masters, that’s got to be something you can tell your grandchildren in time to come.”
However what consumed much of Lyle’s post third round was the yet another round of 76th and his second this year in what is also his 33rd Masters.
Lyle had just one birdie in his round but also five bogeys including dropping a shot at the par three, 16th for a third day running.
“My game was, there was some opportunities, the putter went a bit sour on me,” he added.
“The opening holes could have easily been two or three birdies in the first three holes and didn’t make any of them.
“The first hole I had an 8‑footer uphill and kind of watched his putt from the other side of the hole and when it got to the hole it broke left. So I was expecting mine might break left when it got near the hole, but it went the other way.
“That’s just the way it is. It’s disappointing. I drove the ball poorly in places and I was always facing a tall wall to get over.”
And sharing 46th place with Lyle is fellow Scot Stephen Gallacher who produced his highest European Tour counting score in over seven years in shooting a third round 71.
Gallacher sandwiched back-to-back bogeys at 14 and 14 in between three bogeys and also four double bogeys.
“I missed one fairway and shot 81,” he said.
“It was just a tough day on the greens and nearly all my bad shots were from the fairway. There was a couple of windswirls that left myself on the wrong side and I’m staring at three putts.
“The greens were a lot firmer today and along with back flags, if you leave yourself 30 or 40-footers you are going to three-putt.
“I just did that and then when I hit it close, I missed them£”.
Gallacher’s previous highest score was an 82 on the final day of the 2005 Italian Open in Milan.
