Bubba Watson's 2-over 38 on the first nine at Augusta National completely opened up the 2014 Masters on moving day, and there's now a cluster of players on the heels of the 2012 champion. Bubba had multiple birdie chances down in Amen Corner, but he's started to leave some putts short of the hole. He left one well short of at No. 12, and then three-jacked the 13th for a really bad par to stay at 6-under. He's still on top, and let the others share the lead for only a moment by almost draining an approach shot on 10, but there's definitely moments of leaking oil here in the third round.
Matt Kuchar, who has a long history at Augusta, momentarily held a share of the lead at 5-under before Bubba birdied No. 10. Kuchar was the low amateur here back in 1997, when he was still at Georgia Tech. He's been in the top 10 the last two years, and has been one of the top earners in the world for the past three or four seasons. But despite all the cash he's stacked, he has yet to get a major.
Many assumed that first major win, if it came, would be at Augusta. And Kuchar made his move on the second nine, with three straight birdies at 13, 14, and 15. The two par-5s are must-make birdies for anyone who's trying to chase from behind, and Kuchar needed some short-game magic at the 15th to get there. The 15th is a par-5 that's usually the easiest hole by scoring average, but Kuchar's had some distance control problems there this week. On Thursday, he blasted one over the green and into the pond behind that's actually part of the 16th hole. On Saturday, he airmailed the green again but made an all-world up-and-down from the back of the green for what turned out to be an impressive birdie on a typically easy birdie hole.
That would be Kuchar's last red number of the day, however, and he'd finally drop a shot on the last. With his ball on the back of the green, Kuchar putted right through the 18th green, past the cup on the top tier and all the way down to the front. But at 4-under following his 68, he's right there in position to make a run on Sunday.
Alongside Kuchar at 4-under is 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, who used the slope around the flagstick at the 14th to funnel his ball to a couple feet from the hole. He'd tap in for a birdie to get to 4-under and back into a tie for second. Spieth also gave away a birdie chance at the 13th, missing a moderate-length putt after he had to lay up to make it a three-shot hole. It's been an up-and-down march for Spieth, but he continues to hang around and pick up red numbers to mitigate any damage. Regardless of what happens coming in, he's played above expectations and will be towards the bottom of the tee sheet on Sunday. He's trying to become the youngest winner in tournament history, edging Tiger Woods' historic 1997 victory at age 21 by a year.
Here's the rest of the leaderboard late on Saturday:
Place |
Player |
Score |
Through |
1 |
Bubba Watson |
-6 |
12 |
T2 |
Matt Kuchar |
-4 |
F |
T2 |
Jordan Spieth |
-4 |
14 |
T2 |
Thomas Bjorn |
-4 |
13 |
T5 |
Miguel Angel Jimenez |
-3 |
F |
T5 |
Rickie Fowler |
-3 |
F |
T5 |
Jim Furyk |
-3 |
16 |
T5 |
Jonas Blixt |
-3 |
13 |
T9 |
Lee Westwood |
-2 |
F |
T9 |
Fred Couples |
-2 |
15 |
T11 |
Justin Rose |
-1 |
F |
T11 |
Kevin Stadler |
-1 |
17 |
T11 |
John Senden |
-1 |
12 |
T14 |
Gary Woodland |
E |
F |
T14 |
Ian Poulter |
E |
F |
T14 |
Russell Henley |
E |
16 |
T17 |
Kevin Streelman |
1 |
16 |
T17 |
Jimmy Walker |
1 |
15 |
T19 |
Jason Day |
2 |
F |
T19 |
Chris Kirk |
2 |
F |
T19 |
Steve Stricker |
2 |
F |
T19 |
Gonzalo Fdez-Castano |
2 |
F |
T19 |
Jamie Donaldson |
2 |
17 |
T19 |
Adam Scott |
2 |
14 |
T25 |
Rory McIlroy |
3 |
F |
T25 |
Bernhard Langer |
3 |
F |
T25 |
Henrik Stenson |
3 |
F |
T25 |
Louis Oosthuizen |
3 |
F |
T29 |
Martin Kaymer |
4 |
F |
T29 |
Bill Haas |
4 |
F |
T29 |
Steven Bowditch |
4 |
F |
T29 |
Hunter Mahan |
4 |
F |
T29 |
Vijay Singh |
4 |
F |
T34 |
Jose Maria Olazabal |
5 |
F |
T34 |
Darren Clarke |
5 |
F |
T34 |
Stewart Cink |
5 |
F |
T34 |
Lucas Glover |
5 |
F |
T38 |
Billy Horschel |
6 |
F |
T38 |
Thongchai Jaidee |
6 |
F |
T38 |
Thorbjorn Olesen |
6 |
F |
T38 |
Brendon de Jonge |
6 |
F |
T38 |
Stephen Gallacher |
6 |
16 |
T43 |
Oliver Goss |
7 |
F |
T43 |
Francesco Molinari |
7 |
F |
T43 |
Nick Watney |
7 |
F |
T43 |
K.J. Choi |
7 |
F |
T47 |
Sandy Lyle |
8 |
F |
T47 |
Mike Weir |
8 |
F |
T47 |
Brandt Snedeker |
8 |
F |
T50 |
Joost Luiten |
9 |
F |
T50 |
Larry Mize |
9 |
F |