What began as a projected coronation for Rory McIlroy on Saturday at Augusta National transformed into a wide-open scramble for the Green Jacket. The defending champion, who entered the third round of the 2026 Masters with a historic six-shot lead, saw his dominance evaporate during a chaotic day that vaulted Cameron Young into a tie for the lead.
Titelverteidiger Rory McIlroy zeigt in Augusta ungeahnte Schwächen und verspielt seine Rekord-Führung. In den Schlusstag geht er gleichauf mit einem Kontrahenten.
Rory McIlroy hat am dritten Tag beim Masters in Augusta seinen klaren Vorsprung verspielt und geht gleichauf mit Cameron Young als Führender in den Schlusstag. Dem Golf-Star aus Nordirland gelang auf dem traditionsreichen Kurs im US-Bundesstaat Georgia nach seinen überragenden ersten beiden Tagen nur eine 73er-Runde.
Young und Scheffler holen acht Schläge auf
Mit elf Schlägen unter Par liegt er nun gleichauf mit dem US-Amerikaner Young und nur noch einen Schlag vor dessen Landsmann Sam Burns. Dahinter reiht sich das Feld auf, nachdem McIlroy nach der Halbzeit noch mit sechs Schlägen Vorsprung geführt hatte.
“Viele Jungs haben morgen eine Chance”, sagte McIlroy, “ich weiß, dass ich besser spielen muss, wenn ich gewinnen will. Heute lief es nicht so richtig.”
Neben Young spielte an Tag drei beim Masters auch der Weltranglistenerste Scottie Scheffler eine überragende 65er-Runde und liegt nun auf Platz sieben nur noch vier Schläge zurück. Dem viertplatzierten Iren Shane Lowry gelang als erstem Golfer der Geschichte sein zweites Hole-in-one beim Masters.
Titelverteidigung von McIlroy wäre historisch
Der Titelverteidiger zeigte ungeahnte Schwächen, landete in den Bäumen und im Wasser. Der 36-Jährige startte direkt mit einem Bogey, too einem Schlag über Par, und hatte dann vor allem an Loch elf große Probleme, an dem ihm der Ausflug ins Wasser und ein Doppelbogey unterlief.
Spätestens da war die größte Führung nach Tag zwei in der Masters-Historie dahin. Nach Loch 13 waren Young und Burns mit McIlroy gleichauf. Und der Kampf um das grüne Jackett war wieder völlig offen.
Bislang gelang eine Titelverteidigung lediglich Jack Nicklaus (1965/66), Nick Faldo (1989/90) und Tiger Woods (2001/02). McIlroy könnte aus dem Titelverteidiger-Trio am Sonntag ein Quartett machen.
Nachdem sich Ex-Champion Bernhard Langer im vergangenen Jahr aus Altersgründen verabschiedet hatte, war kein Deutscher dabei. Auch Tiger Woods war nach seinem jüngsten Autounfall nicht am Start.
The Collapse of a Record Lead
For 36 holes, Rory McIlroy looked untouchable. He had carved out the largest 36-hole lead in the history of the Masters, leaving the field fighting for scraps. But Saturday provided a stark reminder that Augusta National is a venue where confidence can vanish in a few swings.
McIlroy’s struggle was rooted in a sudden loss of precision. He finished the day last in the field in driving accuracy among the 54 players who made the cut, hitting only 21 of 42 fairways over the first three rounds. The lack of control culminated in a disastrous visit to the par-4 11th hole, where he found the water and carded a double-bogey.
The stumble resulted in a 1-over 73. While a 73 is rarely a catastrophic score, it was jarring given that the third round was the lowest-scoring average in Augusta National history at 70.63. By the time McIlroy reached the 13th hole, his six-shot cushion had vanished.
“Didn’t quite have it today,” McIlroy admitted after his round, noting that he needed to return to the range to diagnose the issues. Despite the slide, the defending champion remained pragmatic. “I’m still tied for the best score going into tomorrow, so I can’t forget that,” he said. “But I do recognize I’m going to have to be better if I want to have a chance to win.”
Cameron Young’s Serendipitous Surge
While McIlroy was fighting the Georgia pines, Cameron Young was playing a different game. Starting the day eight shots behind the lead, Young fired a stunning 7-under 65 to vault himself to the top of the leaderboard.
Young’s round was a blend of high-level execution and fortuitous bounces. On the par-4 ninth, a misjudged wind left him airmailing the green; however, the ball struck a patron and bounced back onto the putting surface, allowing him to save par. Later, at the par-5 13th, a drive that looked destined for Rae’s Creek or the dense azaleas careened off a tall pine and bounced directly into the middle of the fairway.
The momentum wasn’t entirely seamless—Young suffered a bogey on the par-5 15th after his wedge fell short and rolled into the water—but he responded with a clutch 20-foot birdie putt on the 16th to seize the lead. He eventually finished tied with McIlroy at 11-under 205.
A Crowded Chase Pack
The volatility of the third round didn’t just help Young; it threw the entire tournament wide open. Only two players were within six shots of the lead heading into Saturday. By Sunday morning, nine players are within five shots of the co-leaders.
World No. 1 and two-time champion Scottie Scheffler made the most aggressive move of the day. Scheffler shot a 65, erasing a 12-shot deficit to sit just four strokes back. Meanwhile, Sam Burns played a disciplined, bogey-free 68 to sit at 10-under, just one shot off the lead.
Adding to the drama was Shane Lowry, who carded a 69 to sit two shots back. Lowry also made history on the par-3 sixth hole, recording a hole-in-one to develop into the first player to ever register two aces in the history of the Masters.
Leaderboard Heading Into Sunday
| Player | Score | Round 3 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy | -11 (205) | 73 (+1) | Tied for Lead |
| Cameron Young | -11 (205) | 65 (-7) | Tied for Lead |
| Sam Burns | -10 (206) | 68 (-4) | 1 Shot Back |
| Shane Lowry | -9 (207) | 69 (-3) | 2 Shots Back |
| Scottie Scheffler | -7 (209) | 65 (-7) | 4 Shots Back |
The Historical Stakes
For McIlroy, the goal is more than just a victory; it is a place in a very exclusive club. Defending a Masters title is one of the rarest feats in golf. Only three men have ever successfully defended the Green Jacket: Jack Nicklaus (1965/66), Nick Faldo (1989/90) and Tiger Woods (2001/02).
The psychological pressure of the “coronation” narrative often weighs heavily on players at Augusta. As McIlroy himself cautioned before the third round, he knew “what can happen around here, fine and terrible.” Saturday was a vivid illustration of the “bad,” but the fact that he remains tied for the lead gives him one final opportunity to join the trio of back-to-back champions.
The final round is set for Sunday, where the wide-open leaderboard ensures that a single mistake or a stroke of luck could decide the champion. Fans can follow the final round live as the field battles for the most coveted jacket in sports.
Do you think McIlroy can recover his form for Sunday, or has Cameron Young’s momentum become unstoppable? Let us know in the comments.
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