AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) Dustin Johnson burned the edges. Jordan Spieth lipped out more than their fair share. Justin Thomas simply never got comfortable on the vegetables.
Three of the world’ s best golfers blamed placing woes for being mostly stagnant upon Moving Day at the Masters upon Saturday.
With everybody else around them moving up the leaderboard, Johnson, Spieth and Thomas didn’ t keep pace. And they a new similar culprit: The putter, probably the most important club on Augusta National’ s treacherous greens.
Johnson and Spieth each photo 1-under 71 in the third circular. Thomas was one stroke much better (70) and moved to 5 below heading into the final round.
Their body language on the vegetables told the story. They leaned still left. They leaned right. They begged a little and pleaded a lot. These people shook their heads, swung their own putters through the air and strolled off in a huff more often than not.
Now, all them are regarded long shots to win golf’ s first major of 2018. Third-round leader Patrick Reed will be 14 under, three shots before Rory McIlroy and five before Rickie Fowler .
” I actually get to go out for one of our only stress-free rounds that I’ ve ever really played with Augusta National, ” Spieth mentioned.
Spieth looked like he previously solved his putting woes a week ago at the Houston Open and then again Thurs when he opened with a 6-under 66 that gave him the two-stroke lead after the first circular.
But the 2015 Experts champion and two-time runner-up (2014, 2016) failed to adjust to the speed from the greens Saturday and had too much speed on too many. After needing simply 24 putts in the opening circular, the 24-year-old Texan had 9 more in the third.
” There was just a lid around the hole, ” Spieth said, price that he lipped out five or even six putts. ” I seemed I played a 4- or even 5-under round, something to stay in this particular tournament, and just got kind of regrettable on some of the lips. ”
Spieth skirted edges upon Nos. 2 and 3, lacking birdie putts on consecutive openings and providing an early indicator associated with his round.
Manley knows the feeling. Ranked No . one in the world, Johnson had one massive mistake all day: A double bogey on the par-4 11th after generating way left into some shrubbery.
The only other distinction between making a bunch of birdies on the course ripe for low ratings was those pesky putts.
” Hit a lot of great putts, just nothing went within, ” the 33-year-old Johnson mentioned. ” Every hole it appeared like I had a really good look at it, but couldn’ t get anything to go. ”
He has no programs to adjust, either.
” Just keep doing exactly what I’ m doing, ” he mentioned. ” I’ m hitting great putts. I’ m hitting all of them where I want to. It just burnt the edges, wouldn’ t use. ”
Thomas didn’ t have the same touch. The particular 24-old-old Kentucky native and the PGA Tour’ s reigning player from the year hit 17 of eighteen greens in regulation – much better than Reed or McIlroy in the 3rd round – but needed thirty four putts to shoot 2 below.
” To only take 2 under is a little disappointing. It’ s definitely frustrating, ” mentioned Thomas, ranked second in the world. ” The first couple of days I could have become away with it; 2 under is a good score. But today it’ s not going to make up much floor, especially with the guys at the top of the particular leaderboard playing well and getting softer conditions. There’ s absolutely nothing I can really do about it. ”
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