CNN
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As CBS commentator Jim Nantz rightly stated during Saturday’s third round coverage of the Masters from Augusta National, Rory McIlroy was playing “out of his mind” as he quickly jumped into sole possession of the lead and did not look back.
The Northern Irishman wasted no time, shooting a birdie, an eagle and another birdie on the first three holes to squeeze past Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose for the lead.
The out of mind play from the 35-year-old did not cease there.
McIlroy made Masters history by becoming the first golfer to ever begin his round by carding five consecutive threes, according to the PGA Tour.
He would par the sixth hole to make it six straight before a par-four seventh hole ended the streak.
“It was such a great way to start, and you know, just to come out of the blocks like that, I think, as well, from finishing yesterday afternoon to teeing off today, it’s quite a long time,” McIlroy told reporters. “You know, there’s a lot of anticipation and sort of anxious energy that builds up. You just want to get out there and play.”
McIlroy rebounded from a disastrous first round to slide all the way to a tie for third on the leaderboard after Friday’s second round, sitting two strokes back of Rose’s lead.
Looking for his maiden iconic green jacket and a career grand slam, the four-time major winner McIlroy knew it was do-or-die time at golf’s most prized event.
Despite stumbling with bogeys on holes eight and 10, McIlroy persevered and even shot his second eagle of the round – the first time in his illustrious career doing so in a major.
The world No. 2 McIlroy ended Moving Day at the Masters 6-under 66 for the second consecutive day and holds a two-stroke lead going into Sunday’s final round over Bryson DeChambeau.
It’s been 11 years now since his last major victory, the Masters is the only major title which has eluded McIlroy.
A few weeks ago, McIlroy’s daughter came home from school and asked, “Daddy, are you famous?” When telling the story, he laughed and said, “It depends who you ask.”
If he wins on Sunday, there will be no denying it.
McIlroy was quick to call the support he had from fans “amazing.”
“These Patrons and these galleries are a pleasure to play in front of, each and every year we come back. They are some of the most knowledgeable golf Patrons or spectators that we play in front of,” McIlroy told CNN after the round Saturday.
“Yeah, look, it’s a pleasure to play in front of them and to have that atmosphere and that support. Tomorrow in that final group is going to be – it’s going to be a little rowdy and a little loud. I’m just going to have to settle in and really try to keep myself in my own little bubble and keep my head down and, you know, sort of approach tomorrow with the same attitude that I have tried to approach the last three days with.”
He’d become only the sixth player to complete the modern career grand slam, and the others, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are considered to be the titans of the game.
McIlroy has been in this position before, dating back to the 2011 edition of the Masters.
Speaking about how he planned to sleep on his lead, McIlroy said he couldn’t recall how he spent his Saturday night back in 2011, when he carried a seemingly insurmountable four-stroke advantage into the final day.
“That was 14 years ago,” he told CNN. “I have no idea. I’m glad I have a short memory.”
What followed was one of the most epic meltdowns tournament history as he limped back to the clubhouse in a tie for 15th place. It was one of the most heartbreaking collapses ever witnessed at Augusta National.
Masters Sunday is setting up to be one to remember with McIlroy and DeChambeau fighting it out for the win.
But it didn’t always appear to be that way for the 31-year-old LIV Golfer.
After two birdies to open the round, DeChambeau fell into a funk, bogeying three times over the next 10 holes to fall down the leaderboard.
However, three birdies in the final four holes including an emphatic long birdie putt on the 18th hole that sent the crowd on hand into a frenzy and move him to 3-under 69 for the day and 10-under for the tournament.
With how Saturday ended for both, they now find themselves in familiar territory that should have golf fans salivating – dueling for a major win.
The two are no strangers to doing so with DeChambeau outlasting McIlroy at the 2024 US Open last year, winning by one stroke to earn his second career major title.
DeChambeau called Sunday’s looming showdown the “grandest stage” and expressed his excitement for it.
“We both want to win really, really badly, and it’s – you know, shoot, there’s a lot of great players behind us, too,” DeChambeau told CNN. “Got to be mindful of that and focus on – it’s about who can control themselves and who can execute the golf shots the best. In regard to the Patrons, it’s going to be an electric atmosphere.”
They both will be partnered together on Sunday, teeing off at 2:30 p.m. ET with a first career Masters win on the line.
Canadian Corey Conners sits in third place, four strokes back of the lead with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler finding himself in need of a miracle at 5-under par.
