McIlroy and Young share Masters lead heading into final round, Scheffler 'in position'

[p]A chaotic afternoon at Augusta National saw both men plunk key shots into water on the back nine but finish level atop the leaderboard on 11-under 205 through 54 holes, one stroke ahead of American [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/burns-sam/Ya8WURp6/"]Sam Burns[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcilroy-rory/djwanksN/"]McIlroy[/a], who started the day with a record six-shot lead, carded a one-over-par 73 while [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/young-cameron/WAjf7EFq/"]Young[/a] roared into contention with a scintillating seven-under-par 65.[/p][p][b]"I didn't have it today,"[/b] McIlroy admitted. [b]"I scrambled a lot on the front nine."[/b][/p][p]Second-ranked McIlroy birdied the 14th and 15th holes to regain the lead but found the trees off the 17th tee on the way to a bogey and his one-over round.[/p][p][b]"This golf course has a way of, when you're not quite feeling it, you struggle,"[/b] McIlroy said. "You have to dig deep.[/p][p][b]"I still have a great chance," [/b]McIlroy added. "I'm in the final group. That's where I want to be.[/p][p][b]"I need to be better tomorrow. If I'm going to win tomorrow, I have to be better than I was today."[/b][/p][embed guid="ee821a76-2eac-434a-93d6-692a09d74634" url="https://x.com/TheMasters/status/2043093486614745444" social-type="twitter" /][p]McIlroy, a five-time major winner, hopes to match Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only back-to-back winners of the green jacket.[/p][p]Third-ranked Young, last month's Players Championship winner, got off to a scorching start with birdies on five of the first 10 holes.[/p][p]He birdied 13 and 14, his drive at the 13th hitting a tree and landing fortuitously in the fairway, then overcame a watery bogey at 15 by curling in a 27-foot birdie putt at the par-three 16th.[/p][p]As a result, the 28-year-old American has a prime chance for his first major title.[/p][p][b]"There certainly is no lead that's safe out here, but Rory loves it here, and no one would be surprised if he had shot 65,"[/b] Young said.[/p][p][b]"It's just one of those times that if he doesn't, we have to take advantage, and I got myself here today."[/b][/p][embed guid="fa94ea5c-c32b-4e8a-940a-ff7672b8fd91" url="https://x.com/TheMasters/status/2043088178442051737" social-type="twitter" /][p]Burns carded a 68 and was one stroke in front of Ireland's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lowry-shane/pAUj2FN5/"]Shane Lowry[/a].[/p][h2]Lowry makes hole-in-one, Scheffler 'in position'[/h2][p]Lowry aced the 190-yard par-three sixth hole on his way to a 68 that left him in fourth on 207, one stroke ahead of Australian Jason Day and England's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rose-justin/rR1fSdat/"]Justin Rose[/a].[/p][p]Lowry, the 2019 British Open winner, became the first Masters player with multiple holes-in-one, having aced the 16th in the final round in 2016.[/p][p]"That's wild," Lowry said. [b]"You don't ever expect to make a hole-in-one. I just couldn't believe it. You're out there, and you're in the hunt at the Masters, and you're making a hole-in-one. It's pretty cool. It was obviously amazing."[/b][/p][embed guid="ed17bad1-315c-40c5-b400-029afb1f0480" url="https://x.com/TheMasters/status/2043052578456428670" social-type="twitter" /][p]World number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/scheffler-scottie/bXfIuBYu/"]Scottie Scheffler[/a] fired a bogey-free 65 - his lowest career Masters round - to stand four off the lead on 209 alongside China's Li Haotong, who also found water on his way to shooting 69.[/p][p][b]"I put myself in position," [/b]Scheffler said. "I just need to get the job done."[/p][p]McIlroy made double bogey at the 11th when his approach sailed left into a pond, and after a bogey at the par-three 12th, his lead had vanished in Amen Corner.[/p][p]McIlroy responded with a 19-foot birdie putt at the 14th and drove the green in two at the par-five 15th to set up a tap-in birdie, only for a bogey at 17 to drop him back.[/p][p][b]"I knew today wasn't going to be easy," [/b]McIlroy said. "The quality of the chasing pack was very good, and a lot of guys played their best golf."[/p][p]Rose, a three-time Masters runner-up hoping for a green jacket at age 45, went from seven adrift to three back and hopes for a final round like last year when he made 10 birdies.[/p][p][b]"It's going to take a special round tomorrow, so there's a chance, which is great," [/b]Rose said.[/p][p][b]"I'm going to try to channel a bit of last year and see what happens."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.com/golf/pga-tour/masters-tournament/"][b]Check out the full leaderboard on Flashscore.[/b][/a][/p]