AUGUSTA, Ga. — Does it get any higher than this?
Golf followers witnessed an electrical day at Augusta Nationwide, the place Rory McIlroy soared to the highest of the leaderboard over the primary few holes with six straight threes — the primary time anybody has ever carried out that in Masters historical past.
However Bryson DeChambeau produced fireworks of his personal. He opened with a pair of birdies and completed with three extra par-breakers over his last 4 holes to put up his third straight sub-70 spherical — the one participant within the subject that may declare that honor.
DeChambeau drained a long-range bomb on the 18th gap to get to 10-under par as he sits two strokes behind McIlroy going into the ultimate spherical.
In contrast to final summer season at Pinehurst No. 2, the place DeChambeau bested McIlroy by one, and broke his coronary heart within the course of, these two superstars will play collectively within the last pairing.
“It is going to be the grandest stage that we’ve had in a very long time, and I’m excited for it,” DeChambeau mentioned of the chance.
“We each wish to win actually, actually badly, and it’s — you understand, shoot, there’s lots of nice gamers behind us, too. Acquired to be aware of that and concentrate on — it’s about who can management themselves and who can execute the golf photographs one of the best.
“Concerning the Patrons, it’s going to be an electrical environment.”
The patrons had been unbelievable on Saturday afternoon, producing deafening roars early and infrequently, particularly when McIlroy made his transfer.
The loudest cry of the day got here on the par-5 2nd gap, the place McIlroy chipped in from past the inexperienced.
That eagle additionally gave him the lead, leaving many patrons to ask, “Is that this actually the 12 months?”
One other patron beamed, saying, “I would like Rory to win so unhealthy.”
“It’s superb to have the assist. You already know, these patrons and these galleries are a pleasure to play in entrance of, every 12 months we come again,” McIlroy mentioned.
“They’re among the most educated golf patrons or spectators that we play in entrance of. Yeah, look, it’s a pleasure to play in entrance of them and to have that environment and that assist. Tomorrow in that last group goes to be — it’s going to be a bit rowdy and a bit loud. I’m simply going to must settle in and actually attempt to hold myself in my very own little bubble and hold my head down and, you understand, form of strategy tomorrow with the identical perspective that I’ve tried to strategy the final three days with.”
After all, McIlroy has been trying to full the profession Grand Slam for 11 years now, ever since he gained the Open Championship triumph at Royal Liverpool in 2014. He solely wants a Inexperienced Jacket to finish the slam, and would be part of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Participant, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods as the one gamers in historical past to take action.
McIlroy has not gained a significant since then, however has skilled loads of agony. St. Andrews in 2022, Los Angeles Nation Membership in 2023, and the aforementioned defeat final 12 months instantly come to thoughts.
“I feel I nonetheless must remind myself that there’s a protracted method to go,” McIlroy mentioned.
“I, simply as a lot as anybody else, know what can occur on the ultimate day right here. You already know, I’ve received lots of expertise. I got here in right here speaking about being essentially the most full model of myself as a golfer, and you understand, I simply must hold reminding myself of that and remind myself that it doesn’t matter what scenario or state of affairs I discover myself in tomorrow, I’ll be capable of deal with it.”
It’s price noting that the final eight Masters champions have come out of the ultimate pairing — the final winner not to take action was Danny Willett in 2016, when Jordan Spieth blew the championship on the twelfth gap.
So historical past tells us it’ll possible be one in all these two superstars.
McIlroy and DeChambeau tee off at 2:30 p.m. ET. All the sporting world will watch as the 2 hottest gamers on the planet battle for a Inexperienced Jacket on golf’s most sacred grounds.
Does it get any higher than this?
It actually doesn’t.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. Observe him on X @jack_milko.
