Rory McIlroy admits he will need round of his life at Augusta to have any hope of completing the Grand Slam
Four-time Major champ saw his game leave him when he needed it most as Lee Westwood made another late charge
RORY McILROY will have to produce something truly sensational if his recurring dream of completing the career Grand Slam is not going to trouble his sleep for another year.
McIlroy had it all to do in the third round as he set out five shots behind the four men sharing the halfway lead – and little has changed after the world No 2 could only manage a one under par 71.
The problem is not so much the fact that McIlroy still has plenty of shots to make up on the leaders. It is the realisation that he is fast running out of time.
And with so many great players standing between him and the green jacket, even if he matches the lowest ever round ever in the Majors – something he has already achieved once by shooting 63 at St Andrews – you wonder if it would be good enough.
Surely at least one of the men above him on the leaderboard will throw in a low one too, not that McIlroy will let that possibility prevent him coming out with all guns firing today.
He has already shot a 65 on the weekend once in Augusta. So the four-time Major champion is not going to give up on winning the only one to elude him so far.
It all looked so promising when McIlroy smashed his second shot onto the second green from fully 280 yards to set up a two putt birdie.
He followed up by almost driving the green at the 350 yards second hole, and caressing a chip to 18 inches for birdie number two.
At that stage it looked like a case of sit back, buckle up and enjoy the ride. But it got very bumpy as a three-putt at the fifth was followed by a double at the seventh after the worst drive he has hit all week.
He got those back with birdies at the eight and the 12th, but his failure to birdie either of the tempting par fives on the back nine – 13 and 15 – were hammer blows.
McIlroy finished with six pars, and is also par for the tournament. That probably sums up his less than dashing efforts so far.
McIlroy said: "My best score round here is 65 and I’m going to need something like that if not lower to have a chance tomorrow.
"I’ll be able to tell you better tomorrow night if I think those missed opportunities have ruined my chances, but I just need to go out and play a good round of golf tomorrow.
"I had some great chances on the back nine that I should have converted. I had a birdie opportunities on 11 and 14, and where I hit my drive on 13 and 15, I should be making birdie there.
"I was just in between clubs on both those holes and took the wrong one on both and left myself in awkward positions. That’s the way it is. I think I probably could have shot a 67 or 68 but there were just a few too many wasted opportunities."
So if it is not going to be McIlroy, what about the man with nine ‘bridesmaid’s dresses in a wardrobe that surely deserves to have a green jacket hanging in it – Lee Westwood?
Westwood’s nine top three finishes are a record for a man who has not actually won a Major, and three of them have come at Augusta.
It looked like Westy had played himself out of the shake-up this time when he bogeyed four of the final five holes in the second round
But he bounced back brilliantly with a four under par 68 yesterday, and at one under he is not giving up the ghost either.
He said: “I did what I needed to do today. I had to get back into the red. Obviously I would like to be deep in the red numbers, but one under is pretty good.
“I’ve got half a chance now if I can get a roll going on the front nine. I hit the ball pretty well, the short game was pretty good and I holed a few putts, so it was nice.
“With less wind it was more scoreable, but the tougher flags come out. The greens get firmer and get quicker so it’s swings and roundabouts really.
“I feel I left a few out there on the front nine. I felt like I could have shot 65 quite easily.
“I started poorly and I dropped a shot on the third which is one of the easiest holes on the golf course today, but I went 2, 3,2 on four, five and six which is making a lot on the field.
“Three hard flags there and three hard holes and I played them in seven, which is pretty special. We don’t know what the lead will be, but I’ve moved up the leaderboard. I’m nearer than I was, but who knows?"
Most read in sport
Fellow Englishman Paul Casey, who finished fourth last year, is also a shot behind Westwood, after a three under par 69.
He said: “I feel really good about that round, and it’s close now. But is ti close enough? We’ll soon find out!
“When the conditions are as tough as they were on Thursday and Friday, blowing a hooley, you’re just trying to survive. You are just trying to post a number and not hurt anybody.
“It’'s the most difficult I've ever seen Augusta National play so it was good to get some respite from the weather and make a few birdies. But I’m going to need a lot more in the final round.”