MASTERS 2025: McILROY SURGES TO TOP AS ROSE SLIPS, HEADING INTO FINAL ROUND AT AUGUSTA

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AUGUSTA, GEORGIA —It’s been a rollercoaster Day 3 at the 89th Masters Tournament, with Rory McIlroy shooting a sizzling 66 (-6) to take the outright lead at -12, setting the stage for a thrilling final round at Augusta National.

McIlroy, who has long chased the green jacket to complete his career Grand Slam, looked calm and clinical as he picked apart the course with pinpoint accuracy. The Northern Irishman holds a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau, who carded a respectable 69 (-3), bringing his total to -10.

Canadian Corey Conners sits in solo third at -8, followed closely by a pair of rising threats: Patrick Reed and Ludvig Åberg, both at -6, having each posted strong rounds of 69. Augusta is living up to its drama-filled reputation, with the leaderboard stacked tightly heading into Sunday.

A cluster of seasoned contenders—Jason Day, Scottie Scheffler, Shane Lowry, and Justin Rose—are all tied at -5, still very much in the hunt. Rose, however, saw his title hopes take a knock with a disappointing 75 (+3), slipping from joint leadership into a tie for sixth.

Other notable moves:

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• Zach Johnson impressed with a fiery 66 to climb to -4

• Xander Schauffele, Nicolas Echavarria, and Sungjae Im are tied at -4 after steady rounds

• Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland remain in striking distance at -3

With just one round to go, the stage is perfectly set for Augusta magic—or heartbreak. McIlroy may be in the driver’s seat, but with so many contenders breathing down his neck, Sunday promises edge-of-your-seat action.

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