There’s sure to be plenty of Australian golf fans who are going to be late for work on Monday morning.
They’ll be hoping the long 61-year wait to finally see an Masters green jacket fitted to an Australian born player.
Jason Day, playing in his first Masters posted a third round 72 to be among four players tied in second place on eight under par and four strokes adrift of Rory McIlroy.
Tied with Day is 2009 Masters champion Angel Cabrera (67), South African Charl Schwartzel (68) and Korean K J Choi (71).
Adam Scott is a shot further back in sixth place after signing for a 67, and along with Cabrera and Bubba Watson produced the equal best on day three, to be at seven under par and tied with England’s Luke Donald (69).
Tiger Woods, who’s never won a Major Championship from behind, will start the final round in ninth position at five under par while Phil Mickelson’s hopes of joining Woods with four green jackets ended with a third round 71 to be sharing 18th place on three under par.
Bizarrely, it’s the first time in the 75-year history of the Masters there is no American born player in the top five.
Not since Greg Norman endured meltdown at the ’96 Masters has there been an Australian in with the chance of Augusta victory.
Jim Ferrier was the first Australian to walk out onto Augusta National and that was in 1940. 
Ferrier, who then took up American citizenship in 1946, went as close as runner-up in 1950 after leading by three shots with six holes to play before losing to Jimmy Demaret.
But more recently it’s been Norman who’s been the closest to what Scott called an ‘Aussie Voodoo’ in being runner-up firstly in 1986 and then again in 1987 and 1996 when the Great White Shark went into the last day leading by six and lost to Nick Faldo by seven.
Being nearly 15 hours ahead of Augusta has meant Australians growning-up watching coverage of the final round of the Masters, the U.S. Open and PGA Championship on a Monday morning.
And invariably it’s usually around 9am on the east coast of Australia, and when everyone should already be at work, when the final putt drops.
Scott’s first taste of the Masters was in 1987 when Larry Mize holed an outrageous 140-foot chip shot for birdie to deny Norman.
But it was in 1996 when Scott suffered like the rest of Australia after watching Norman collapse over the final day.
“The first Masters I watched on TV was ’87, and although I had not spent my whole life watching, you know, that was even hard,” said Scott.
Adam Scott looking to end 61-year Aussie Masters drought
“I rmember I got to stay home that morning from school in ’87 but ’96 was very hard to watch.
“So many people I knew by that point were close with Greg. There was his coach, Charlie Earp, and I remember seeing him, and he was just — everyone was devastated. We all really felt for Greg.
“I guess the one thing I took from all that was he came in and he spoke to the press and I think we all learned he carried himself like a real champion and that’s why we all loved Greg.
“But it’s going to happen one day.
“I don’t think any of the guys here carry a burden and there’s no one thinking there’s a voodoo on us from Australia (laughing).
“It just hasn’t happened. We are not a huge country but we certainly get our fair share of guys in this tournament every year it seems. But no one’s got over the line yet.”
Scott made his Augusta debut in 2000 finishing a superb ninth and it will the experience of contesting the Masters since then that he hopes to draw upon on Sunday.
“Well, that’s one thing that’s going for me going into tomorrow, I guess,” he said.
“I have played the course a lot. And certainly, this year, I feel like somewhat familiar with it going around the course, you know, knowing a lot of the putts and understanding where to miss it; leaving the ball in good spots.
“I think I’ve done that well last year and carried that on into this year. I think I’ve certainly played enough rounds of golf to almost understand everything here.”
Scott has won 18 times in his career including the Valero Texas Open he’ll defend next week.
And while he received a pair of Texas painted books for winning last year, Scott is yet to be fitted with any victory jacket.
“I’ve got plenty of silverware and crystal in my trophy cabinet but no jackets,” he said.
“But it would be nice to finally put one in the wardrobe.”
And in closing, Scott said he’s not encouraging any Aussie school children to miss school on Monday and reminded everyone of Prime Minister Bob Hawke’s remarks in 1983 when Australia ended a 100-year victory drought to capture the America’s Cup.
“I’m not promoting skipping school but what did Bob Hawke say that one time?” Scott said laughing.
Hawke’s comments were: “Any boss who sacks a worker for taking the day off is a bum”
Bernie McGuire at Augusta National
