This is becoming routine.
For the second year in a row, Jordan Spieth was playing in the final group at the Masters yesterday.
Only now, it would be a big surprise if he did not leave with a green jacket.
Spieth has already set Augusta National scoring records for 36 and 54 holes. He joined Tiger Woods as the only players to reach 18-under at the venerable course. If not for a double-bogey at the next-to-last hole on Saturday, he would have gone into the final round needing only to avoid an epic collapse.
He would have to work a little harder, but he was still the clear favorite with a 16-under 200 providing a four-stroke edge over Justin Rose, a five-shot lead over Phil Mickelson, and only one other player within single digits of the lead.
Plus, Spieth has been there before. Just a year ago, in his Masters debut, he had a two-stroke lead with 11 holes to play, before Bubba Watson rallied.
“I think the good thing for him is he’s already experienced it once,” said Rory McIlroy, who will begin the final round 10 shots behind. “He’s played in the final group at the Masters before. It didn’t quite happen for him last year, but I think he’ll have learned from that experience.”
Spieth was due to start the last leg of his dominant weekend with Rose. Right ahead of them would be Mickelson, one of the most popular figures at Augusta, playing with Charley Hoffman (six shots back). McIlroy and Woods were due to be ahead of them, both 10 shots down.
“There’s going to be roars,” Spieth said. “Phil is going to have a lot of roars in front. A few groups up I think is Tiger and Rory... well, you’re going to hear something. It’s about just throwing those out of my mind, not worrying about it, not caring, setting a goal and being patient with the opportunities that are going to come my way.”
Spieth got a glimpse of how quickly things can change on Saturday.
A birdie at the 16th gave him a commanding seven-shot lead, his biggest yet, but he unwisely went with a driver at the next hole and put it in the trees. He also flubbed a chip, then three-putted.
His gutsy short game saved him in the end.
Spieth hit a flop shot from a tight lie to 10 feet and made the par-putt for a two-under 70. That steadied the 21-year-old Texan going into a final round that no longer looked like a runaway.
“We’ve got a long way to go,” Spieth said.
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