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The Masters Tournament: Scottie Scheffler Secures Sole Lead after third round

Scottie Scheffler dominates the third round, emerging as the sole frontrunner at the Masters Tournament 2024 at Augusta National.

Scottie Scheffler emerges as sole leader after the third round of the Masters Tournament 2024 at Augusta National. (Photo: Getty)

Scottie Scheffler delivered an impressive performance in the third round of the Masters Tournament 2024, concluding the day in sole possession of first place.

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The Masters Tournament 2024: Scheffler early Birdie Bonanza

Scheffler’s round began with a birdie on the first hole, as well as the third hole, bringing him to two under par early in the round. This early gain set a positive tone, though he gave a stroke back on the fourth, rounding out the front nine with a score of 35, one under par.

Back Nine Battle: Scheffler’s Resilience

The back nine proved more challenging for Scheffler, including a double bogey on the 10th and a bogey on the 11th that momentarily knocked him off the lead. However, a critical par save on the 12th and an eagle on the 13th marked a significant turnaround, allowing him to regain momentum and maintain his position atop the leaderboard. In his recount of this shot during the press conference he highlighted his technical skill but also the emotional release of executing under pressure. “And then that putt on 13 was nice because it was trickling up towards the cup. I didn’t know whether or not it was going to get there, and it kind of just nudged right over the edge and went in. So it was exciting, and it was nice to be able to steal a couple shots there on 13 and get back in the tournament,” Scheffler reflected.
He finished the round with a 36 on the back nine after playing another two birdies on 15 and 18 and a bogey on 17, mirroring his front nine score and cementing his lead with a total of 71 for the day.

Scottie Scheffler on Conquering Augusta’s Third Round

During the press conference, Scottie Scheffler discussed the difficulties faced during the round, especially with the gusts affecting his play on the 10th and 11th holes and highlighted the importance of resilience. “You know, things happen pretty fast out there… But it’s a major championship. I don’t think Augusta wants their golf course to be very easy,” he commented.

He described the greens as “ridiculously fast and firm,” a condition that significantly impacted his putting game, particularly on the 14th hole where he likened putting down the hill to “putting up to a small volcano.” This detail underscores the precision required at Augusta and how course conditions can dramatically influence play.

Scheffler also discussed his strategy on the back nine, particularly the par 5s, which were crucial for reclaiming momentum. His eagle on the 13th and a birdie on the 15th were critical moments that helped stabilize his round and also propelled him back into a leading position. “It was nice kind of turning my Saturday around… It’s nice to get a few shots back there on the back nine.”