In perhaps the greatest, craziest Saturday ever at Augusta National Golf Club, Rory McIlroy helped the field to come back to him by shooting a 2 over 73. This aided Cameron Young, who dropped a 65 on Saturday, to jump up and tie Rory for the Sunday lead at the Masters. (My sincerest apologies, Jim Nantz. Had to alter you incredible phrase, “A tradition unlike any other.”)
Other golfers now in contention with McIlroy’s six shot Saturday advantage disappearing, include Sam Burns, who sits alone at -10 currently in third. Shane Lowry, who lit up the crowd with an ace Saturday and a water hazard ball, carded a 68 to grab fourth. Jason Day and Justin Rose are only three behind with Scottie Scheffler, who really started the Saturday festivities being the first in at 65, in seventh.
Saturday Theater!
Scheffler teed off Saturday at 12:16 pm, a full two hours and change before Rory and the others in pursuit. At even par no one knew what was in store. Roughly an hour and a half later, Scottie was at 5 under, yelling to anyone nearby, “Hey, I’m still here!” An eagle at 2, and birdies on the last three on the first nine started a buzz that would continue until after seven in the evening.
Cameron Young, with his backswing that pauses at the top, ended his first nine holes four under par and then the dam broke loose!
McIlroy started with a bogey then a birdie at 3 and would remain even par for the rest of the first nine. But he could never solve the problem of his wayward driver, and others started to drain birdie putts.
Photo courtesy of Masters.com
Challengers
Sam Burns
Bogey free day on his 68. Some up and downs especially at the par 5 13. His second bounded over the green and his birdie putt just missed dropping. One of the best putters on tour, Sam dropping a few Sunday would lead to a green jacket moment.
Shane Lowry
The ace at the 6th was one of those shouts heard round Augusta. But on the 15th he tried to fly the green and watched in horror as his ball, landing between the sand trap on the right and the water on the left, bounced left into the pond protecting the green. His strong short game salvaged a par when a bogey was 60% possible.
Jason Day and Justin Rose
These two crafty veterans will be playing together today and if they battle like Annie Oakley and Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun (“I can do anything better than you…”), then they might both be in line for their first Masters wins. And both are MORE than deserving pros.
Amen Corner on a Saturday
Rory started the back with birdie but his up and down day commenced at Amen Corner again, just like in 2011. Trying to get his second shot onto the par 4 11th 520 yard green, Rory’s ball found the water. Two strokes lost.
https://x.com/GolfonCBS/status/2043077526394700126
Then, on 12, McIlroy’s iron shots decided to continue their leftward trajectory. His ball bounced in the azaleas but somehow made it out near the drainage area. His tricky chip up was about 16 feet short and two putts later, the two men were tied at 11 under.
Who knows what might happen today? It’s a given that most golfers and patrons know the Masters starts on the final nine holes on Sunday. But in 2026, it started on Saturday! A glorious, incredible, indescribable, and shocking Saturday.
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