Rory McIlroy finished with a flurry of three birdies on the back nine Saturday, giving the young man from Northern Ireland a commanding four-shot lead heading into Sunday's Masters competition. With Saturday's two-under 70, McIlroy's three-round total of 204 is beyond impressive. If he were to win, he would be the second youngest Masters champion in history, after Tiger Woods. Perhaps the 30-foot putt he sank on the 17th will be considered the stroke that sealed the deal. Perhaps not.
Apparently, American players' whining about the toughness of Augusta National finally stuck with the PGA, for the course is playing more forgiving for the second consecutive year. Balls are not rolling back into the ponds like in years past. Greens are stickier, too. Thus, while the average scores of the leaders continue to retreat towards par, with McIlroy down to a four-under daily average, the tournament's winner will finish with a double-digit score below par.
The biggest surprise of Saturday was not McIlroy's stability at the top of the leaderboard; it was putty-faced, sausage-shaped Angel Cabrera's 67, giving the 2009 Masters champion a share of second place and a final pairing with McIlroy today. Cabrera gives couch potatoes everywhere hope: at least he does not look capable of running a mile. He does know the course, however, and it would be foolish to rule the wiley Argentine out.
Though McIlroy shows no signs of slippage in concentration, technique, or physical effort, several international golfers besides Cabrera are in a position to pounce if the 21-year-old young gun's nerves and knees turn to jelly. Momentum is not with Korea's K. J. Choi, who shot a 71, or Australia's Jason Day, who posted a routine 72 Saturday. Both of them remain capable of another low score, however, and both are within striking distance four back at 208.
Momentum is with Cabrera, South Africa's Charl Schwartzel (68-208), Australia's Adam Scott (67-209), and England's Luke Donald (69-209), all coming off hot rounds Saturday. Any of them can win it.
Naturally, the media loves to tease the viewership by mentioning the possibility of big finishes by Tiger and Phil, but realistically they are each just too far back to contemplate a fifth and fourth green jacket, respectively. Again, Tiger's putter betrayed him as he betrayed his wife. His two-over 74 left him with a 211 total, seven behind the leader. Meanwhile, Mickelson's adventurous driving and mediocre putting gave him a 71 for a 213 total, nine shots back.
Stinky scores were turned in by Lee Westwood (74-213), Alvaro Quiros (75-213), Ricky Barnes (75-214), Sergio Garcia (75-215), Rickie Fowler (76-215), and Ernie Els (76-221). Els proved that playing without a partner in a major tournament round does not improve one's score due to less distractions. Solo rounds give golfers too much time to think without distraction, and too much time to dialogue with their caddies. That's trouble.
Questions for Sunday's final round:
1) Is Rory McIlroy mentally tough enough to pull off
the victory most pundits have predicted of him?
2) If not, will it be another young player, or a veteran
former winner like Cabrera who is presented with
the 2011 green jacket?
3) Who will have the lowest score today?
4) Of the leaders, who will implode and have the
highest score?
5) How embarrassing a finish will it be for Americans
cumulatively on the leaderboard?
6) What ridiculous percentage of unwarranted
facetime will Tiger Woods receive once he's
mathematically eliminated from receiving another
green jacket?
7) To what degree of self-congratulatory banter will
Jim Nantz sink today as he brings down an
otherwise stellar CBS broadcasting crew?
Expect the unexpected at Augusta National today: meltdowns and trainwrecks are usually more fun to watch than untouchable great performances. Expect great shots and terrible shots, good decisions and horrible decisions. After all, we are talking about the Masters on Sunday. Whoever can string together the most great shots and good decisions will win.
Why can't all televised golf tournaments follow the Masters' lead in restricting advertising to four minutes per hour? Everybody does not own a DVR.
Enjoy the tournament.
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