Spieth sets another record, leads Masters by four shots

Another day, another Masters Tournament record for Jordan Spieth.

The 21-year-old Texan shot a 2-under-par 70 despite a late double bogey and holds a four-shot lead and the 54-hole Masters scoring record entering Sunday’s final round.

Spieth is at 16-under 200, which is a shot better than Raymond Floyd in 1976 and Tiger Woods in 1997. Both won those tournaments.

But Spieth made things a lot more interesting with his double bogey on the 17^th hole, and a pair of the game’s major champions have at least provided a little intrigue entering Sunday’s final round.

Both 2013 U.S. Open winner Justin Rose and three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson shot 67s to pull within four and five shots, respectively, of the three-day leader.

“Obviously being 4 under at one point in the round and closing it out at 2 under is disappointing,” Spieth said. “Obviously I would have liked to have finished the round a little bit better, but it also could have been worse.”

Charley Hoffman is fourth and six shots back at 10 under after a 71, and no others are within single digits of Spieth as Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Coastal Carolina alumnus Dustin Johnson are among five players tied for fifth at 6-under 210.

Spieth already held the 36-hole tournament scoring record at 14-under 130 and 36-hole major championship record in relation to par.

He joined Woods Saturday as the only players in Masters history to ever reach 18 under at any point in the tournament. Woods’ 18-under 270 total in 1997 is the 72-hole tournament record.

Spieth is also trying to become just the fifth wire-to-wire Masters winner and first since Floyd in ’76.

Mickelson made an early charge at Spieth on Saturday, and Rose a late one.

Lefty, seeking his sixth major championship, birdied holes 2, 3, 4 and 9 to quickly reach 10 under, and birdies on the 15^th and 16^th holes got him to 12 under. The birdie on the par-3 16^th came on a 40-foot uphill putt that turned to the right and trickled into the back left portion of the cup.

“It was important to get off to a good start and I was lucky to do that,” said Mickelson, who began the third round eight shots out of the lead. “The back I ended up making two bogeys that stalled my round, but it was a good round.”

A Mickelson bogey on the 17^th opened the door for Rose to move into Sunday’s final pairing with Spieth, which he did with a late flurry of five birdies in his final six holes, including a holed bunker shot on the par-3 16^th and 20-foot putt on the 18^th.

“I guess some strokes of luck or magic, whichever way you look at it, holing out of the bunker at No. 16 … and just obviously the icing on the cake to birdie 18 and get me one closer to Jordan,” said Rose, who threw his arms in the air in exultation when the bunker shot dropped. “That's going to be a big experience tomorrow, fantastic experience. Jordan is playing incredible golf. It would be great to keep an eye on him and try and sort of keep pace.”

Rose, whose top Masters finish in nine appearances is a tie for fifth in 2007, was even par for his round through 12 holes before making four consecutive birdies. “It was nice to stay patient and get rewarded with a hot finish,” Rose said. “It's amazing and it put me in with a great opportunity tomorrow now.”

Spieth’s third-round lead began at five shots over Hoffman and never dropped below four. Spieth had made just one bogey through two rounds but had three Saturday. But he overcame them by pouring in seven birdies through 16 holes.

A 14-foot birdie putt on the 16^th hole got him to 18 under and pushed his lead to seven shots. But he doubled the par-4 17^th with a poor chip shot and three putt that included a lipped-out 4-footer.

He was in danger of dropping another shot on the 18^th before hitting a flop shot over the right greenside bunker and making a 9-foot putt.

“I’m very pleased with that up‑and‑down on 18 that may have been a 1‑in‑5 [chance],” Spieth said, “[and] it was one of the bigger putts I've ever hit.”

Spieth believe he may have to strike the ball better Sunday to close out the tournament following a round with seven birdies, three bogeys and the double.

“What I learned about myself is that I saw a lot of putts go in today,” Spieth said. “… The downside of it was that I had to make a lot of putts today with five dropped shots, and I'm not going to be able to have that tomorrow. I can't rely on my mid‑range putts. I can't rely on the putter that much to save me with two major champions right behind.”

After losing a two-shot lead to Bubba Watson with 11 holes to play at Augusta National last year and finishing second, Spieth said then that he couldn’t wait to get back to Augusta.

He’s here, and he just might find himself with about a two-shot lead with 11 holes to play over another major champion. He believes that 2014 experience, as well as Saturday’s, will serve him well.

“I was a little anxious [Saturday], but I actually felt more comfortable than I thought I would,” Spieth said. “It was a new position for me and I feel like tomorrow, it's not like Saturday versus Sunday should make any difference to me.”

If Spieth can maintain the composure and maturity he has shown through three rounds and most of his short pro career, another Masters record could be in the offing.

“Phil is going to make some noise and he's going to make a run. In our group, Justin is going to do the same and Charley is going to do the same,” Spieth said. “It's about just throwing those out of my mind, not worrying about it, not caring, setting a goal and being patient with the opportunities that are going to come my way.”

This story was originally published April 11, 2015 at 10:18 PM with the headline "Spieth sets another record, leads Masters by four shots."