AUGUSTA, Ga. — Justin Rose said the support he received from patrons at Augusta National this week would stay with him after the 45-year-old Englishman again fell short in his bid to win a first Masters title.

Rose briefly held the lead during Sunday’s final round before slipping back and finishing two shots behind winner Rory McIlroy in a four-way tie for third, a year after losing to McIlroy in a playoff.

The former U.S. Open champion said the ovation he received as he walked up the 18th fairway was especially meaningful after another near miss at Augusta, where he has finished runner-up three times.

“I felt like the crowd was amazing to me all week long … I felt their encouragement and support,” he said.

“At the end it kind of goes a little flat. It’s more of a sympathy than anything. But it was still nonetheless very beautiful.

“But, yeah, another little stinger.”

Rose, who poured in five front-nine birdies, said he felt confident he had put himself in position to challenge before momentum turned around Amen Corner.

“I was really in control. First 10 holes, I felt like I was,” he said.

“And the mentality was to run through the finish line not just try and get it done.”

But costly bogeys on the 11th and 12th halted his momentum and he looked dejected when he missed a short par putt on the 17th to close the door on his dream of winning the Masters title this year.

“Today, I felt like there was an opportunity to do better, so obviously that is frustrating,” Rose said.

Even so, Rose said recent seasons had strengthened his belief that he can keep contending in the game’s biggest events and eventually challenge again for a Green Jacket.

“In the last two years I’ve really kind of re-kicked on and re-energized my career and I have a lot of belief in myself that there is a lot of runway ahead,” he said.

“These are the tournaments I focus on. These tournaments are why I practice. These are the tournaments that get me going that extra mile.”

Rose also said Augusta’s unique demands could continue to suit him as he gets older, pointing to veterans who have remained competitive at the Masters deep into their careers including Fred Couples and Bernhard Langer.

“Those guys get around this golf course,” he said.

Asked why he thought the galleries had embraced him so strongly, Rose offered a simple explanation.

“I think people just know I play hard. I try hard. I’ve been close,” he said. “I think they just appreciate the effort.”

AUGUSTA, Ga. — It’s not often the word “gettable” is used to describe Augusta National on a Saturday at the Masters, but that’s exactly the adjective several players used after this year’s third round.

Nineteen of the 54 players who made the cut posted rounds in the 60s on Saturday, led by the 65s posted by Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Young. In all, 35 broke par on a day in which Augusta National yielded a scoring average of 70.63, lowest in a third round in Masters history.

After the field averaged 74.65 on Thursday, Ireland’s Shane Lowry predicted this might prove to be “the toughest Masters we’ve played in a while due to the dry and firm conditions. Lowry made a hole-in-one Saturday that catapulted him to a 4-under-par 68 and 9 under for the tournament.

The scoring average dipped to 72.85 on Friday, leading many players to predict tournament officials would ratchet up the difficult dial for the third round, but most were surprised to find the greens mostly still receptive and many pins in attackable positions.

“Pretty easy,” Max Homa said when asked how the course was playing after posting what he felt was a disappointing 71. “The front nine is pretty — I mean, very gettable. I didn’t feel like it was too fast, too firm. Obviously the weather is amazing, so it helps.”

Even Rory McIlroy, the co-leader despite shooting a 1-over-par 73 on Saturday, acknowledged low scores were out there for the taking.

“The course was obviously gettable,” he said. “There was a lot of good scores out there, and the quality of the chasing pack is obvious. There was a lot of guys that shot good scores.”

Patrick Reed said Thursday he hoped the tournament officials would ratchet up the difficulty level. Adam Scott echoed that sentiment to a degree given the lack of the traditional winds that create additional difficulty around Augusta National.

“I think the firmer and faster they can get it, the better,” Scott said. “I mean, there’s no wind. The greens are still very, very friendly.

“I don’t think it’s the scariest I’ve ever seen it here, but I love seeing the fairways play firmer. On some of these holes that turn, having the ball run and you’re having to be more precise with your line off the tee is an important defense of the golf course.”

Jason Day wasn’t complaining after shooting a 4-under 68 that left him in a tie for fifth, just three shots off the lead at 8 under for the tournament.

“I expected to see it a little bit different than what I saw today. I mean, you were hitting shots in there that were spinning,” Day said. “Typically sometimes you get to Saturday at Augusta and they’re bouncing. It’s really difficult to hold some shots.

“So, I thought the green speeds were lovely. I thought the green firmness was great. It was very fair, and I think that’s why you’re seeing a lot of, like, decent scores out there, which brings in a lot of the crowd, which is great.”

Scheffler also took advantage of an early tee time to make his turn in 5-under 31 on his way to a career Masters-best 65 that could have been even lower. He’ll go out in the fourth-to-last group today, when the course will likely be at its firmest and fastest of the week.

“It depends on what the leadership here wants to do,” Scheffler said. “If they want to see some lower scores, they can make them softer if they want. They’re already pretty firm, so they can just go full Bay Hill (at the Arnold Palmer Invitational) and just let them die.

“It’s Augusta. They’ll figure it out after that.”

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Rory McIlroy is making Masters history as he enters the third round on Saturday at Augusta National with a commanding six-shot lead.

McIlroy sets new 36-hole Masters record

What we know:

McIlroy secured the largest 36-hole lead in Masters history on Friday, finishing at 12-under 132. 

He capped off a second-round 65 by birdieing six of his final seven holes, including a 30-yard chip-in on the 17th hole. 

The previous record for a midway lead at Augusta was five shots, a mark held by golf legends like Jack Nicklaus (1975), Jordan Spieth (2015) and Scottie Scheffler (2022). 

What we don’t know:

While McIlroy maintains a six-shot lead, it remains to be seen whether he can maintain this pace over the final 36 holes. 

Chasers looking to close the gap

What’s next:

McIlroy will tee off for his third round at 2:50 p.m. ET Saturday paired with Sam Burns.

Burns and Patrick Reed sit tied for second on The Masters leader board at 6 under. 

Justin Rose, Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood are another stroke back at 5 under.

Chasers will need a low round to catch McIlroy, who is looking to become just the fourth player in history to win back-to-back green jackets.

DeChambeau misses cut after bunker trouble

Dig deeper:

While the leaders moved forward, one big name headed home early. Bryson DeChambeau missed the cut after finishing at 6-over par on Friday. 

His exit was fueled by two triple bogeys—one on Thursday at the 11th hole and another on the 18th hole Friday. 

In both instances, DeChambeau struggled to escape greenside bunkers, needing multiple shots to get out of the sand.

Leaderboard feels the heat of Rory’s run

By the numbers:

-12: Rory McIlroy’s total score, six shots clear of the field.

-6: Sam Burns and 2018 champion Patrick Reed are tied for second place.

-5: Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, and Tommy Fleetwood sit seven shots back.

132: McIlroy’s 36-hole total, which is one of the lowest in tournament history.

6: The number of players who previously held a five-shot lead after two rounds, including Scottie Scheffler in 2022.

How to watch the Masters

What you can do:

Where to watch (all times ET)

Streaming

• Masters.com + Masters app
• ESPN App
• Paramount+
• Amazon Prime Video
• DirecTV
• CBS Sports app / CBSSports.com

TV

• CBS (Rounds 3 & 4): 2–7 p.m. ET

Saturday & Sunday (rounds 3–4)

• Start time: 10 a.m.
• Paramount+: 12–2 p.m. (early coverage)
• CBS: 2–7 p.m.

SOURCES: