Playing with patience and composure beyond his years, McIlroy was a sleepy third round on life if he in a 30-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole rolled. That putt touched off a roar by the pine trees in the 18th fairway, force, Tiger Woods, step away from his ball and wait the clamor, reduced blasted.
The importance of the moment was inevitable. Woods, a four time Masters champion roars so many similar shots urged in Augusta had to accommodate McIlroy, to create ready to be the youngest Masters champion has become since Woods in 1997.
McIlroy's lap of 70 put him at 12-under par 204, four strokes clear of international foursome at 208: ángel Cabrera (67) of Argentina, Charl Schwartzel (68) in South Africa, k. j. Choi (71) of South Korea and Jason Day (72) of Australia.
"It is a great location in be," McIlroy said after his four birdie, two bogey round. "I stayed patient out really, really there today." I stayed with my game plan and it worked out. I think my swing in a large square in the minute. I feel - I played way and finally feel on this golf course. "
Seems other golfers who once felt comfortable on this golf course somehow discombobulated by it now. The American players is the a 68 shot Bo Van Pelt, and is six strokes back in the eighth at 210. Woods (74), Fred Couples (72) and Bubba Watson (67) are tied for ninth at 211.
This is the first time, this is no American player in the top 3 after 54 holes, and only the third time since 1995, that Phil Mickelson or Woods last 5 in that in the top round.
In addition are day and his compatriot to win Adam Scott the first Australians in the 75-year history of the masters in the immediate vicinity of becoming. Scott, who has threatened appearances in nine previous masters, shot 67, the lowest of which his 35 rounds at Augusta National and is five strokes back.
Patience is not easily come for the free running McIlroy, but it was his trademark Saturday on a humid afternoon. And his attitude is so calm and his swing the 23-year old, who has played all three rounds with McIlroy continuous, said to this day, it would be difficult to start on Sunday.
"How Rory is swinging and the shots he takes, he can probably go tomorrow and shoot 70 and win the tournament," day said. "And if he win this thing, he deserves it." "He's played really well."
McIlroy's only bogeys came on the fifth par 4 and the 495-yard, par-4: 10. He has made only three bogeys in 54 holes. He birdied the difficult par-3 No. 4, again and added back-nine birdies on the two par-5-s - long putt No. 13 and no. 15 - before the setting of on 17, which put an exclamation point on his lap.
Day briefly took the lead with three birdies on the first five holes, but he was unable to keep it. He was a three putt bogey at no. 6, then it could be retrieved not at the top and bottom of the seventh green. He bogeyed the par-5 13th when he flubbed a chip behind the Green and three-putt on 16 added.
Still, he was not to give up, and neither was Cabrera, a two-time major champion whose last his was playoff victory at the masters two years ago.
A broadly-backed Argentina, Cabrera entered the complaints about his swing and the State of his game master, but he was smiling after his round on the whole, and shrug generous when it comes to the young players before him.
"The young children very good play," said the 41-year-old Cabrera. "I think, they have it earned - Rory, Jason." "But of course I have won the masters, so that should help me a lot."
Historical trends are no guarantee of future performance, but wear them generally more emphasis on Augusta National. In the last 20 years, Zach Johnson, who from 2007 came fourth place to first in the year, was the only golfer come back from more than second place to win the masters.
This would seem to indicate that someone outside the Cabrera, Schwartzel, day and Choi a difficult time overtaking McIlroy, as long as he does not implode. That seems more and more unlikely with each steady round he has played.
He is as safe as possible, that is a 21 year-old, speakers of the chance to win, but never allows itself too long to speculate.
"A win for me personally, huge it." It is huge, "said McIlroy." "And for the game of golf, it would be nice, also." ?Would it be getting nice early a great and some of the young guys show that it is possible.
"I will go and play as good as I can and we will see what happens." "Four strokes are not much to this golf course."
Maybe not. But at the moment, it certainly looks like a lot.
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