Rory McIlroy has stormed to the highest of the Masters leaderboard with an electrifying third spherical that included two eagles to complete two pictures forward of Bryson DeChambeau and on the doorstep of profitable the elusive profession Grand Slam in golf.
To achieve the promised land of a profession Grand Slam, McIlroy should get previous the big-hitting American who delivered some late fireworks on Saturday to arrange a high-profile final-round showdown that can be a rematch of their battle eventually 12 months’s US Open.
DeChambeau, who took benefit of a late collapse by McIlroy to win final 12 months’s title, earned a spot in Sunday’s closing pairing at Augusta when he drained a monstrous 48-foot birdie putt from off the inexperienced on the closing par-four 18th.
It is going to be simply the fourth time within the final 30 years that the ultimate pairing of a significant will characteristic two a number of main champions.
“It is going to be the grandest stage that we’ve had in a very long time, and I’m excited for it,” DeChambeau mentioned after a three-under-par 69 introduced him to 10 below on the week and two pictures again of McIlroy.
The pairing presents McIlroy with the chance to get revenge towards the American, who handed him a gut-wrenching loss eventually 12 months’s US Open, however McIlroy mentioned he prefers not to think about it that method.
“The large factor is to not make it a rematch and simply keep in my very own little world,” mentioned McIlroy, who shot a six-under 66 on Saturday and is 12-under par for the match.
McIlroy appeared centered as he walked to the clubhouse after tapping in for par on 18, understanding that in 24 hours, he might be sliding on a Inexperienced Jacket and eventually ending an 11-year hunt to win all 4 of golf’s main championships.
“Tomorrow in that closing group goes to be a little bit rowdy and a little bit loud,” he mentioned.
“I’m simply going to should settle in and actually attempt to hold myself in my very own little bubble, hold my head down and strategy tomorrow with the identical angle that I’ve tried to strategy the final three days with.”
Rory McIlroy separated from the sphere in his third spherical. #themasters pic.twitter.com/LEFTZbXoRw
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 12, 2025
‘What goals are fabricated from’
DeChambeau, who birdied three of his closing 4 holes for a third-round 69, beamed a giant smile and high-fived his delirious followers after his closing gap heroics because the solar started to set on Augusta Nationwide.
“That’s what goals are fabricated from proper there,” he mentioned.
“Two behind, couldn’t ask for something extra. Tremendous excited for the problem forward.”
DeChambeau, who returned to the vary to practise iron pictures after his spherical, mentioned he additionally expects an electrical ambiance on Sunday.
“I feed into the gang, particularly the patrons right here, and so they give that power again,” he mentioned.
“It’s a cool feeling and I used {that a} couple instances right this moment.”
McIlroy acquired his spherical off to a scorching begin, going birdie-eagle-birdie en path to turning into the primary participant to start a spherical on the Masters with six consecutive threes, leapfrogging in a single day chief Justin Rose amid pristine scoring situations.
After beginning the day three pictures again of Rose, McIlroy led by as many as 4 on the entrance 9 however cooled off across the flip with bogeys on eight and 10.
He birdied 13 to grab the momentum again and his hovering strategy shot on the par-five fifteenth arrange a six-foot eagle putt that he coolly transformed to regain his four-shot lead.
However DeChambeau wouldn’t go away, drilling birdies on 15 and 16 earlier than his dramatic putt on 18 to maintain the two-time US Open champion’s dream of capturing a primary Masters title alive.
Whereas the give attention to Sunday can be on the McIlroy-DeChambeau pairing, loads of different marquee names are additionally within the hunt.
Canadian Corey Conners is 4 again and in solo third place whereas former Masters champion Patrick Reed and final 12 months’s runner-up Ludvig Aberg are two pictures additional adrift.
World primary and defending champion Scottie Scheffler is amongst 4 gamers lurking seven pictures behind, heading into what must be an exciting finale on Sunday.
“We each wish to win actually, actually badly, and there’s quite a lot of nice gamers behind us too,” DeChambeau mentioned.
“Acquired to be conscious of that and focus. It’s about who can management themselves and who can execute the golf pictures the very best.”
