Augusta National had one response to Rory McIlroy Saturday: 'Here we go again'

Rory McIlroy shot a 73 on Saturday at the Masters, giving up all of a six-stroke lead. Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Share full articleAUGUSTA, Ga. — One green jacket did not rid the Augusta National crowd of its toxic relationship with Rory McIlroy. Looking at a defending Masters champion with a historically large 36-hole lead, those memories were easily forgotten, suppressed, or dismissed as part of a past life. The six-shot cushion was the evidence. It’s different now, they thought. This is Rory McIlroy 2.0. But on Saturday, a resurfacing occurred that everyone on the property wished they had seen coming. A 1-over par 73 in Round 3 with three bogeys, four birdies and a double bogey set up a Sunday leaderboard that screams impending chaos. All of the lead is gone, and McIlroy’s bid to become the fourth back-to-back champion in Masters history comes with a reminder: This Northern Irishman has a long history of making things interesting both for himself and for everyone else trekking the Augusta National grounds with him. Think of the career-altering 2011 Masters collapse. The 2018 final pairing with eventual champion Patrick Reed. And the career Grand Slam-win in 2025: The most joyous day of McIlroy’s career also felt like a ticketed panic attack. “The only person who can beat Rory is Rory,” one deadpan patron announced, as he watched McIlroy’s dicey front nine unfold on Saturday. McIlroy started his round with a monstrous drive into the rough on the right. Then he made a sloppy opening bogey, despite approaching the green with a wedge in hand. That was the first sign, and it would become a theme. McIlroy’s body language — best described as befuddled — was an instant giveaway, but his statistics from the previous two rounds were the real indicator. McIlroy led by six shots headed into Saturday’s round, but he ranked 90th out of 91 players in the Masters field in driving accuracy at its conclusion. That kind of golf can’t continue to translate to scores in the 60s for so long, even for the five-time major champion. So the emotional swings came rushing in. A dozen folding chairs and a stray chicken sandwich had to be moved for McIlroy to hit his second shot from outside the ropes on No. 2. Then he drove the green and two-putted for birdie on No. 3, made an unlikely par save on No. 4, and executed a stress-free par on No. 5. On Nos. 6-8, McIlroy hit three more shots that cozied up to the patron’s feet, and all three somehow resulted in pars. McIlroy had already lived nine lives by the time he rounded the turn in with an even par 36 on his scorecard. At No. 10, a birdie faked everyone out: Did he catch a wave of momentum? Is he no longer hanging on by a thread? Eyes widened. The air lightened. Next, No. 11: McIlroy’s drive struck a tree and plummeted down into the short grass, giving him an approach shot some 60 yards farther back than he would have liked. Then, disaster: A water ball. A missed bogey putt. As a hot Cameron Young began to surge further up the golf course, the double bogey was the last thing McIlroy needed. Then he made it even worse. He dropped out of the lead with a bogey on No. 12. “People are starting to murmur,” one fan observed. “Here we go again,” another said. Augusta National was still willing McIlroy onwards, but they did so with guarded hearts: Don’t do this to us again, Rory. It’s not over — not even close to it — but the pattering of chests and the pits in stomachs arrived for this crowd one round earlier than they did last year. And while all of those feelings appeared, McIlroy made another messy par on No. 13, forcing a 20-yard-wide section of seated fans to once again stand. The shift in this tumultuous relationship is always around the corner, though. Just when Augusta National is just about done with McIlroy and his antics, he reels them right back in, and he does so convincingly. McIlroy made a birdie on No. 14, and another birdie on 15 to regain the lead over Young, momentarily. “He’s just a crowd pleaser, isn’t he,” said a voice in the bulging gallery. McIlroy was back at the helm of this tournament for a whole 15 minutes. A bogey on No. 17 and a par on No. 18 left McIlroy as the lone player in the top nine on the leaderboard to shoot over par. “I’m still tied for the best score going into tomorrow, so I can’t forget that, but I do know I’m going to have to be better if I want to have a chance to win,” McIlroy said. He was a bit hesitant, he said, guarding against potential mistakes after the drama at the start of Amen Corner. His lower body got ever so slightly stuck. He committed to his plan, but didn’t always swing with the freedom he did earlier in this tournament. Perhaps McIlroy worked things out in his 7:45 p.m. range session after the round, and perhaps he did not. Either way, the Augusta National patrons were long gone from the property by the end of it. They were already on their various routes home, bracing for the rush all over again on Sunday. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Gabby Herzig is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering golf. Before joining The Athletic, she worked as a breaking news writer for Sports Illustrated’s golf vertical and a contributing editor at Golf Digest. She is a graduate of Pomona College, where she captained the varsity women’s golf team.