Saturday's Birdies and Bogeys

By golfdigest.com

April 10, 2015

Birdie: Jordan Spieth

Let's be serious: We wouldn't have called Augusta National crazy if it started fitting Jordan Spieth for his green jacket on Saturday -- Spieth's birdie at 16 extended his lead to seven. The 21-year-old has done nothing but shatter records this week. But after a double-bogey 6, followed by a fanned approach right at 18 into Greg Norman 1986 territory, Spieth looked human for once. Then under the gun, Spieth made a stellar up-and-down to cut the bleeding. He broke another scoring record -- the 54-hole mark -- after his Saturday 70. But at this point, you know that means little to Spieth. It's all about that green jacket. -- Stephen Hennessey

Birdie: Justin Rose

Among the names chasing Spieth on the leader board Saturday morning, Justin Rose was the only major winner within nine shots. With two bogeys on his opening five holes, it looked rather disappointing for Rose, but he fought back. Two birdies on his next four got him to even for the side, then four straight birdies starting on 13 and one more on 18 got him to T-2 at 12-under. He still has four shots to make up on Spieth, but Rose stepped up in a big way on Saturday, and he posed some tough questions to the 21-year-old that he'll have to answer on Sunday. -- Luke Kerr-Dineen

Birdie: Phil Mickelson

The three-time Masters champ rode the momentum from a Friday back-nine 32 into the third round. Mickelson turned in another 32 on the front and shot 67 on Saturday to claw within five shots of Jordan Spieth. Following his round, Mickelson noted he wore his salmon-colored shirt because he "had a premonition" to do so after talking with Arnold Palmer, a big fan similar-shaded shirts, earlier in the week. If Mickelson has similar performance on Sunday, perhaps he'll have something else in common with The King: four green jackets. -- Alex Myers

Bogey: Masters Drama

The problem isn't the names on the leader board. There are some good ones up there -- Woods, McIlroy, Mickelson -- and the guy right at the top is pretty good, too. In fact, THAT is the problem, because for all the potential fireworks this weekend at the Masters could provide, Jordan Spieth has given scant indication he's going to let anyone near the lead. Spieth's edge is just four after his double bogey on 17 Saturday, and in theory, that lead could be gone by the time he reaches the second tee. But the kid has been so composed and so impressive thus far, he doesn't seem interested in allowing for drama. -- Sam Weinman

Birdie: Tiger Woods

For a second straight day, Woods improved his score by shooting 68 to move into the top 10 entering the final round -- and it even could've been better. After birdieing three of the first four holes, Woods missed several short birdie putts and only shot even par on the easier back nine despite making a "stupidly good birdie" on No. 13. Still, it was yet another encouraging display for the four-time green jacket winner in his latest comeback. It also was his first round in the 60s on a weekend at a major since the final round of the 2011 Masters. A fifth green jacket probably isn't in the cards with a 10-shot deficit, but Woods will have plenty of motivation playing with Rory McIlroy in the third-to-last group on Sunday. -- A.M.

Bogey: Tiger Woods' Behavior

You want Tiger Woods back, you have to have him all back. And that includes the occasional club throw, F-bomb, or some other rash outburst that is a byproduct of Woods' fierce intensity. Which is not to say it's right. There are plenty of other golfers who want to win but who still fall short of cursing into a live microphone, as Woods did after an errant tee shot on the 13th hole Saturday. We'd be tempted to give the guy a pass if it didn't happen so often. -- S.W.

Birdie: Rory McIlroy

Yes, he shot four under on Saturday, and at one point he was even lower. But everything that McIlroy does in this Masters is in the context of what could have been had he not imploded to a front-nine 40 on Friday. But McIlroy did, which means whatever chance he had of catching a red-hot Jordan Spieth was gone before the weekend. At six-under par, the only consolation for McIlroy is a chance to outplay his boyhood hero when paired with Tiger Woods on Sunday. But as far as a green jacket goes, it looks like he'll have to wait at least another year. -- S.W.

Bogey: Dustin Johnson

On moving day, Dustin Johnson's name looked like it got stuck in mud on the leader board. DJ's name stood out, before Saturday started, as someone with a great chance to trim into Spieth's lead. Instead, he'll start the final round 10 back of the 21-year-old after a third-round 73. DJ plodded along until the par-3 12th hole, where he stubbed a chip shot into the front bunker. Two putts later, it was a costly double bogey that he couldn't afford making. It'll be disappointing for sure for DJ. Just one more close call at a major. -- S.H.

Bogey: Patrick Reed

70-72-74. It's getting worse before it's getting better at Augusta National for Patrick Reed. Hopes were likely high for the 24-year-old entering this year's Masters. He's been one of the hottest golfers in the world over the last two years. No one would've been surprised if Reed played his way into contention this week. Instead, Reed has struggled at Augusta. Following his Saturday round, the 24-year-old blew off the media Saturday hoping to ask him about his subpar third-round performance. That's never a good look. You can understand the disappointment, however, from this fiery competitor. -- S.H.

Bogey: Bubba Watson

There's a reason only three people have ever repeated as Masters champion: It's pretty darn hard to do. If Bubba didn't appreciate this after his 2012 win, he certainly does now after a disappointing third-round 73. Bubba had to make things happen Saturday if he was going to get back into serious contention. Instead, he made a triple-bogey 7 on his first hole (which included three bunker shots). Impressively, Bubba came back to birdie his next three holes, but his up-and-down round continued bogeys on Nos. 10, 11, 17 and 18 (he made only five pars on the day). Bubba was always guaranteed to be at the green-jacket ceremony Sunday, but now knows he will be there putting it on somebody else's shoulders. -- Ryan Herrington

Bogey: Jimmy Walker

With five wins in less than two seasons and two so far this year, Jimmy Walker was a hot pick coming into the 2015 Masters. But Walker hasn't performed like he's capable: A 73 on Thursday followed by a 72 on Friday saw him make the cut by one, and a two-over 74 on Sunday leaves him a hair inside the top 50. For a man who finished T-8 in his first Masters last year -- one of three top 10s in majors last year -- Walker will undoubtedly be disappointed. As he should be. Walker is a top player now, and this is a significant opportunity missed. -- L.K.D.

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