Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau traded blows in a frenetic start to the eagerly-anticipated final round of the 89th Masters.
McIlroy started the day with a two-shot lead in pursuit of the win he needs to complete the career grand slam, but got off to a nightmare start in a pulsating atmosphere at Augusta National.
After driving into a fairway bunker on the first and pitching out on to the fairway, McIlroy hit his third shot to 18 feet and three-putted for a double-bogey six.
The four-time major winner then found more sand off the tee on the second and could only make par on a hole he had played in three under over the last two days, while DeChambeau two-putted from long range for birdie to take the lead on 11 under.
McIlroy looked understandably downhearted as he walked to the third tee but hit driver on the short par-four and pitched to 10 feet to set up his first birdie of the day before DeChambeau three-putted for the second two-shot swing in the space of three holes.
The breathless start continued as DeChambeau also three-putted the fourth before McIlroy holed from nine feet for birdie, another two-shot swing and a three-shot lead.
Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, who finished runner-up to Scottie Scheffler on his debut last year, was three shots behind DeChambeau in third following a birdie on the first.
Former champion Hideki Matsuyama had earlier showed the chasing pack what was possible with a superb 66.
Matsuyama began the day on four over par but birdied the third, sixth, eighth and ninth to cover the front nine in 32, and picked up further shots on the 14th, 15th and 17th.
The 2021 winner was on target to equal his lowest ever round at Augusta National – set in round three on his way to victory – but dropped his only shot of the day on the last after failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker.
