Reporting from Augusta, Ga. — Rory McIlroy wasn’t outwardly rooting for Jordan Spieth’s late troubles Saturday at the Masters. But neither was he mourning them.
After an awful day in which he shot five-over-par 77 in the premier last pairing with Spieth, McIlroy took solace in Spieth’s bogey-double-bogey finish that put the leader at three under, and left McIlroy five shots behind instead of eight or more.
“I would be feeling a lot worse about myself if I hadn’t just seen what Jordan did the last two holes,” McIlroy said. “I sort of take a bit of heart from that, that I’m still in this golf tournament.”
McIlroy didn’t make a birdie, and he looked out of the running for the tournament when he bogeyed the 10th and double-bogeyed the 11th. Spieth also double-bogeyed the latter hole, but the American star responded with three straight birdies.
Advertisement
McIlroy, hoping to complete a career Grand Slam, never responded.
“I was just sort of trying to play upstream,” McIlroy said. “I was always trying to get something going, and I just couldn’t. I felt like I righted the ship the last seven holes; I made seven pars coming in and had a lot of chances, but I didn’t take any opportunities.”
Beware of Kaufman
With the sunny name and look of a kid about 16, Smylie Kaufman might hardly be considered threatening. But he seemingly has little to lose in his final-group pairing with Spieth on Sunday after his strong third-round 69.
“This golf course plays hard. I tend to play well on hard golf courses,” said Kaufman, 24, who is playing in his first Masters. “I’m driving the ball really well right now and I’m going to get on greens just as much as everybody else. I think I’ll have a pretty good opportunity to be in contention, which doesn’t surprise me.”
Advertisement
A former basketball player who led his high school team to an Alabama state title, the 6-foot-1 Kaufman is a PGA Tour rookie who won his first event in October in Las Vegas. He shot 61 in the final round to come from seven shots back.
Horschel’s horrible break
Billy Horschel got about the worst wind break possible.
1/47
Danny Willett of England walks along the 15th hole during the final round of the Masters on Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club.
(Matt Slocum / Associated Press)
2/47
Jordan Spieth gathers his thoughts on the 18th green before finishing the final round with a one-over 73.
(Brant Sanderlin / Atlanta Journal Constitution)
3/47
Jordan Spieth presents Danny Willett the winner’s green jacket Sunday evening at Augusta National Golf Club.
(Andrew Redington / Getty Images)
4/47
Augusta National chairman William Porter Payne presents American Bryson DeChambeau with the trophy for being the top amateur at the Masters during the awards ceremony Sunday evening.
(Andrew Redington / Getty Images)
5/47
Masters champion Danny Willett gives the thumbs-up sign to fans after the awards ceremony at Augusta National Golf Club.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
6/47
Jordan Spieth gets a pat on the back from caddie Michael Greller on the 18th hole after finishing second at the Masters.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
7/47
Jordan Spieth takes a second drop on the 12th hole after one of the two times his shots landed in Rae’s Creek while hitting approach shots there during the final round of the Masters tournament.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
8/47
Jordan Spieth plays his second shot on the 11th hole from the trees during the final round of the Masters on Sunday.
(David Cannon / Getty Images)
9/47
Danny Willett reacts after making a putt at No. 14 on Sunday during the final round of the Masters.
(Don Emert / AFP / Getty Images)
10/47
Hideki Matsuyama of Japan chips onto a green during the final round of the Masters on Sunday.
(Don Emmert / AFP / Getty Images)
11/47
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot out of the bunker during the final round of the Masters.
(Jim Watson / AFP / Getty Images)
12/47
Lee Westwood of England reacts after making an eagle on the 15th hole during the final round of the Masters.
(Matt Slocum / Associated Press)
13/47
Jason Day of Australia reacts after playing a shot Sunday during the final round of the Masters.
(Jim Watson / AFP / Getty Images)
14/47
Patrons leave Augusta National Golf Club after the third round of the Masters.
(Andrew Gombert / EPA)
15/47
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot onto the 16th green during third round of the Masters.
(JIM WATSON / AFP/Getty Images)
16/47
Bernhard Lange tips his cap to the crowd after putting out at No. 18 during the third round of the Masters on Saturday.
(Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)
17/47
Jordan Spieth walks out of the trees along the 18th fairway after hitting a recovery shot during the third round of the Masters.
(Erik S. Lesser / EPA)
18/47
Jordan Spieth hits out of the rough along the 17th fairway Saturday during the third round of the Masters.
(Matt Slocum / Associated Press)
19/47
Hideki Matsuyama of Japan plays his second shot on the 12th hole during the third round of the Masters.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
20/47
Rory McIlroy reacts to a missed birdie putt on the 17th green during the third round of the Masters.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
21/47
Sergio Garcia of Spain lines up a putt on the 13th green during the third round of the Masters.
(Jim Watson / AFP / Getty Images)
22/47
American Scott Piercy creates a splash of sand as he hits out of a bunker during the third round of the Masters.
(Jim Watson / AFP / Getty Images)
23/47
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the 17th tee during the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
24/47
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy hits out of a bunker on the 18th green during Round 1 of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
(NICHOLAS KAMM / AFP/Getty Images)
25/47
Ian Poulter, of England, reacts after missing a putt on the first hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
(Chris Carlson / Associated Press)
26/47
Danny Lee, of New Zealand, hits a drive on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
27/47
Mike Weir of Canada hit out of a bunker on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
(Matt Slocum / Associated Press)
28/47
Jason Day, of Australia, watches his drive on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
29/47
Charl Schwartzel, of South Africa, hits out of a bunker on the fourth hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
30/47
Patrons walk along the first fairway before the start of play during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
31/47
A scorekeeper peers through a hole from behind a board during Round 1 of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
(JIM WATSON / AFP/Getty Images)
32/47
Martin Kaymer of Germany down the fairway on the fifteenth hole during the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
(ANDREW GOMBERT / EPA)
33/47
Australia’s Steven Bowditch putts on 1st hole during Round 1 of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in April. (DON EMMERT / AFP/Getty Images)
34/47
Rickie Fowler hits out of the rough off the first fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(Matt Slocum / Associated Press)
35/47
Jordan Spieth hits on the second fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
36/47
Victor Dubuisson of France and caddie Leonard Francois walk up the third fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
37/47
Amateur Bryson DeChambeau tees off on the third hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(David J. Phillip / AP)
38/47
Jordan Spieth lines up a putt on the first hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(ANDREW GOMBERT / EPA)
39/47
A scorekeeper places numbers on a leaderboard during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
40/47
Jack Nicklaus waves before hitting a ceremonial first tee shot before the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(Matt Slocum / AP)
41/47
Steven Bowditch of Australia celebrates after chipping in a birdie on the first hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(Matt Slocum / AP)
42/47
Lee Westwood of England chips on the second hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(TANNEN MAURY / EPA)
43/47
A sign bearing the names of the honorary starters Gary Player of South Africa, Jack Nicklaus of the U.S. and Arnold Palmer of the U.S. before they ceremonially open the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(TANNEN MAURY / EPA)
44/47
Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player together on the first tee at the ceremonially opening of the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament.
(TANNEN MAURY / EPA)
45/47
Patrons wait for the gates to open near the first fairway before the start of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(ANDREW GOMBERT / EPA)
46/47
Patrons file onto the course after the gates are opened near the first fairway before the start of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(ANDREW GOMBERT / EPA)
47/47
Spectators line a fairway to watch the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
At the par-five 15th, Horschel hit his second shot onto the left portion of the green. His eagle putt just slipped by the cup and stopped about 10 feet past. Or at least long enough for Horschel to nearly reach his ball before a gust of wind started it rolling again toward the water. It caught speed on the slope and dropped in.
Advertisement
The misfortune meant a penalty stroke, and a good chance for birdie ended up being a bogey six. Horschel shot 73 to be in a tie for 16th at four over.
A high-strung player, Horschel was animated in talking to rules officials on the green — making the point they had pushed the dryness of the course to the limits.
“I knew that once the ball rolls, once it’s in play, you have to play it from where it finishes, and obviously I didn’t have my scuba gear to play it from the water,” Horschel said.
Day still has a chance
If the world’s top player can fly under the radar, Jason Day has done it this week. Yet he’s still in a formidable position to take a run at winning his first Masters and second straight major.
As the Australian watched 58-year-old playing partner Bernhard Langer play an inspired round of 70, Day shot 71 to be tied for fifth at even par.
“If they start coming back, then that’s when you’ve got to go, ‘OK, I need to kind of show a little bit more patience.’ Even though I’m going to have scoring opportunities. I don’t want to make mistakes.”
Day’s highlight was the 70-foot birdie putt he made at the 14th hole. As it happened, Langer topped him by chipping in for birdie.
Advertisement
“It was pretty cool, because obviously he gave me knuckles on the way up,” Day said.
Notable
Bryson DeChambeau, the amateur who began the day four shots off the lead, shot 77, with double bogeys on the 15th and 18th holes. He fell to five over, eight behind Spieth. ... Two recent Masters champions have been unimpressive this week. World No. 4 Bubba Watson, who made the cut on the number, shot 76 in the third round and was at 10 over. Seventh-ranked Adam Scott scored 75 and was seven over.
