Rory McIlroy produced an outstanding third-round 66 to lead the Masters by two shots heading into the final round.
Having rebounded from a difficult start with a sensational second round at Augusta National, McIlroy was in sparkling touch again as he powered away from the field having begun the day two shots behin leader Justin Rose. A remarkable start saw the Northern Irishman become the first player to record a three at each of Augusta’s first six holes, while a mid-round wobble was put aside with a strong back nine.
Reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau is closest to McIlroy on -10 having birdied the last with a superb putt, and will play alongside the man he denied at Pinehurst last summer. Rose has slipped back into the pack of chasers behind Corey Conners (-8), sitting at -5 a shot below Ludvig Aberg and Patrick Reed. A surge from defending champion Scottie Scheffler did not materialise, with Shane Lowry and Jason Day among those also failing to convert strong starts into low rounds. They wait seven shots back needing a serious slip-up from McIlroy, you’d think, to contend.
Re-live all the action and the latest third round scores and leaderboard from Augusta below:
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The Masters 2025 - Round 3
- Rory McIlroy seizes control of the Masters with a third-round 66
- Masters 2025 leaderboard - Round 3
- -12 McIlroy (66)
- -10 DeChambeau (69)
- -8 Conners (70)
- -6 Reed (69), Aberg (69)
How Rory McIlroy seized control of the Masters to set up duel with Bryson DeChambeau
Sunday 13 April 2025 00:19
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A superb 66 from Rory McIlroy has left him perfectly placed entering the final round - but a familiar foe lurks two shots back.
Round 4 tee times
01:01
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Here are the final-round tee times, with it all building up to that final two-ball of Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau. They are off at 7.30pm BST (2.30pm local time):
Bryson DeChambeau reflects on his round
Sunday 13 April 2025 00:30
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
“Every hole matters,” DeChambeau tells Sky Sports. “The most important thing is looking forward to the next shot. I wasn’t striking my irons well today so I have to go and work on that. If I get that right, it’s going to be a fun match.”
Rory McIlroy speaks to Sky Sports after seizing the lead
Sunday 13 April 2025 00:09
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
“It was a dream start. You want to maybe be one or two under through three, and I was four-under through three. I had a bit of a wobble around the middle of the round, but I felt like I steadied myself with a really good par putt on 11. All I was trying to do was take advantage of the par fives, and I did that. The shot of the day for me with the six iron on 15 - a great Saturday at Augusta and I’m excited for tomorrow.
“I’m not going to shy away from it. Situations like tomorrow are the reasons I get up and work hard and practice. If I didn’t want this moment, I wouldn’t be doing those things. These are the pairings I want to be in.”
Masters leaderboard after third round
Sunday 13 April 2025 00:05
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
-12 Rory McIlroy (66)
-10 Bryson DeChambeau (69)
-8 Corey Conners (70)
-6 Patrick Reed (69), Ludvig Aberg (69)
-5 Scottie Scheffler (72), Shane Lowry (72), Jason Day (71), Justin Rose (75)
What a putt!
Sunday 13 April 2025 00:00
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
What a way to finish from Bryson DeChambeau! An extraordinary putt at the last and it’s a 69 and just two shots between him and our leader!
Corey Conners four shots back
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:54
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A handy par putt on 18 means a 70 for Corey Conners, four in arrears and likely to be playing in the penultimate group. He’s got the steady game to stay in touch but might need to find a few more shots tomorrow to threaten a major breakthrough.
Bryson DeChambeau shows all of his power to find the fringe out of the bunker. Serious club speed to get it up, out and scooting across the dancefloor. Negotiate his way down in two or fewer and he’ll play with McIlroy tomorrow.
Rory McIlroy leads the Masters
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:50
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s not to be, but a sensational 66 means Rory McIlroy (-12) will lead the Masters entering the final round.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:49
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
And if McIlroy can afford himself a glance back down the fairway, the sight of Bryson DeChambeau finding a bunker might just please him.
Can he find his 10th three of the round?
Rory McIlroy finds the heart of the green
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:46
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
“Go! Go!” Rory McIlroy cries - but there’s no need! That’s one final resplendent iron to leave him a putt for a 65.
Matt McCarty endures tough finish
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:45
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A “Welcome to Augusta” end to Matt McCarty’s third round at the Masters: bogey, double, bogey, to go from -6 to -2 down the stretch. Tough for a debutant who had showed so much steel earlier in his round. He’ll be back tomorrow for more.
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:41
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
What can Bryson DeChambeau do from the very edge of the 17th green? A lot, is the answer - it’s not quite left dead though not far off at all, which is a cracking effort from where he was having to ride up over a ridge and along the fringe.
Up the 18th...
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:37
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Rory McIlroy dices with danger down the right hand side of the 18th, avoiding the pines but leaving himself with only one option when he comes to play the approach, having to play some sort of high slice. Corey Conners follows him down and is in a bit more bother with his comparative lack of distance - he may be totally blocked off.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:36
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Another error in his approach-play from Bryson DeChambeau, a good-looking golf shot ending up far from ideally placed. It’s another draw that he’s pushed too far - those soft touches that he had to show earlier have become rough edges.
Rory McIlroy heading to the last
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:32
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
No dice for Rory McIlroy’s birdie putt at 17, but he’ll take a par at this juncture. I’m sure he’d love another in ten minutes’ or so.
Scottie Scheffler remains -5
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:30
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
It didn’t happen for Scottie Scheffler today, a 72 nothing to sniff at but the envisaged charge not materialising. He’s seven behind our leader as things stand - one suspects Scheffler will be draping the green jacket over somebody else’s shoulders tomorrow.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:28
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Oh, Justin. That’s a wretched four from the Englishman, birdie turning to bogey in two terrible putts.
No such problems for Bryson DeChambeau, who seizes second outright. Off he stomps full of focus having narrowed the gap - though another fantastic approach from Rory McIlroy leaves him well placed on the 17th.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:25
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Groans on the green at 17 and 16. First Shane Lowry’s par putt hooks an edge and keeps on going, before Justin Rose makes fails to convert that lovely shot over the water a hole behind.
Lowry sheds a shot heading to the last.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:20
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s a sublime tee shot at the 16th, too, from DeChambeau, rallying at tjust the right time.
Justin Rose has a seven iron in hand as he looks to follow his partner. And that’s just as good - both within a few feet.
Bryson DeChambeau moves into share of second
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:16
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A birdie it’ll be for Bryson DeChambeau.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:12
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The difference between Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy is so clear. DeChambeau leaves himself similarly placed on the 15th but where McIlroy was pinpoint and precise, the American sends his seven-iron bundling over the back left of the green.
To be fair to him, he does a fine job with the chip - but that should have been an eagle putt.
Rory McIlroy swells lead
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:06
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
That’s just the second time in Rory McIlroy’s career he’s had two eagles in a single round at a major. The other? The Open in 2014. A good omen?
Less auspicious times for rookie Matt McCarty, who is in the drink at the 16th. Shane Lowry was lucky to avoid a similar fate, just catching the lip of a bunnker to prevent a drenching.
But Rory McIlroy extends advantage
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:02
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The task has just become taller, though - in goes the eagle putt and Rory McIlroy extends his lead to four shots.
Rory McIlroy. pic.twitter.com/TiQJlKStuu
— Fore Play (@ForePlayPod) April 12, 2025
Justin Rose back to -7
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:01
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A little pump of the fist from Justin Rose as he birdies the 14th.
Rory McIlroy on to the 15th green
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:56
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Glorious. Rory McIlroy tattoos the 15th green with a magnificent second, backing up another scorching tee shot. It’s a birdie for sure; a short eagle putt awaits.
Nerves jangling?
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:53
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
An angry toss of the club from Bryson DeChambeau, flipping it up to himself having come up some way shy of the 14th green. He’s just lost his touch since the turn. Justin Rose shows him how it is done by leaving himself virtually pin-high.
Ludvig Aberg in at -6
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:47
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
In alongside Patrick Reed at -6 with a 69 on the day is Ludvig Aberg - though the failure to take a great sighter of a birdie on 18 will disappoint him. Still, he’s right in the thick of things, and he closed rather well last year. A danger.
Masters round three
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:45
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A missed opportunity from Bryson DeChambeau, unable to convert a booming drive on 12. His seven iron in should have been much better, tugged into a bunker, and DeChambeau throws his head back in frustration after his birdie putt goes by.
Patrick Reed takes clubhouse lead
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:43
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Another very tidy round from Patrick Reed, in for a 69 and the clubhouse lead at -6. That might be temporary - Ludvig Aberg’s approach on 18 is excellent - but Reed will head into Sunday in one of the final few groups, you feel.
Rory McIlroy extends advantage
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:32
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Indeed it is.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:30
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
In the end, it’s a friendly enough chip for Rory McIlroy, the stance not too awkward and the angles kind to feed it down. That should be a birdie...
Bryson DeChambeau bogeys the 12th
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:28
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Bryson DeChambeau can only hope to leave himself a shortish putt back the other way with little room to play with out of the bunker. In the end, it’s lengthy, and long gone - back to -7.
Matt McCarty makes first birdie
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:25
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Fabulous news for Matt McCarty - and whoever marks his card - as a streak of pars is snapped at the 13th.
With the green clear, McIlroy can play. Ooh, that’ll be awkward, his ball hanging on at the cliff edge like the end of The Italian Job having seemingly been bound for bunker. It could have been worse.
A par for Justin Rose at the 12th, unable to get his birdie putt to go.
Amen Corner
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:22
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Neither Bryson DeChambeau nor Justin Rose quite finds ideal position on 12, with DeChambeau buried in the bunker.
Rory McIlroy is again off line at 12 - can he produce something as spectacular as yesterday’s second?
Ludvig Aberg closes to within three
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:17
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Two to go for Ludvig Aberg, who is galloping through the back nine. Three on the spin lift him into a share of fourth, with Justin Rose dropping a shot to join that quartet.
It's brewing nicely
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:12
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Everywhere you look there are contenders ticking along. Aberg very nearly has a hole in one at 16 and will surely tap in for a birdie, while Xander Schauffle (-4) almost holes out for an improbable birdie of his own.
Ludvig Aberg in the hunt
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:08
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Another stroke gained for Ludvig Aberg leaves him lingering dangerously in the depths like a sea monster - four back for now, we know he can close quickly.
Last year’s runner-up will know not to go chasing it overly today. So much more to come.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:05
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
An important par at 11 for Rory McIlroy, rattling it in to stop the skid. That early fluency is gone, though.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:03
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
No such troubles for Jason Day - a chip and run to get to -6 alongside Shane Lowry and the Aussie is loving it.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:00
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Bryson DeChambeau’s touch around the greens has come on so much in the last couple of years. He checks a chip perfectly to leave it stone dead having made a mess of his approach.
Scheffler can’t get up and down in two. A bogey at 12. Heaps more golf still to be played, obviously, but the defending champion is fading.
Corey Conners one back
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:56
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Corey Conners is quietly compiling an excellent round. He’s now within one of his playing partner and the lead after a third consecutive made putt.
Scottie Scheffler not quite firing
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:53
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Another chance missed for Scottie Scheffler at the 11th, and then another tugged tee shot on the 12th - it’s not quite as errant as his effort yesterday, though he doesn’t benefit from quite as friendly a bounce, either. Still, having chipped in for a two then, he’ll fancy his chances of doing something similar from slightly further around the apron.
At the 14th, a much-need birdie for Ludvig Aberg, curling it in like Declan Rice.
Another shot gone for Rory McIlroy
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:47
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
The slide continues. There’s no obvious error at the 10th from Rory McIlroy but he just gets a little over excited with his approach, sending it past the pin and then three putting. The lead narrows.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:46
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Hard lines for Justin Rose, bashing down the front door but knocking it off its hinges as his powerful putt bounces in and out. It’s a good job it did find the heart of the cup, even if it didn’t drop - anywhere else and that might still be travelling.
He and DeChambeau head to 10 with pars in their pocket.
Shane Lowry remains in contention
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:42
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Oohs and aahs around the 10th green as Shane Lowry’s very good putt isn’t quite good enough. He settles for a four and fifth place outright, with Jason Day knocked off that mark of -6.
A word, by the way, for Matt McCarty, who has made nine pars to take the turn -5. Very pleasant - if not enthralling.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:35
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s not happening for Scottie Scheffler, though he gets himself out of real bother with a doozy of a par putt at the tenth.
Matching fours for Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Rose two holes back. They head into the final hole of the front nine two and three behind respectively.
Another birdie for Corey Conners
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:32
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A good little spell for Corey Conners here. Another birdie takes him into a share of second - perhaps temporarily, with Bryson DeChambeau standing over an eagle putt at the eighth.
Rory McIlroy goes out in 32, a birdie putt passing him by.
Viktor Hovland with a crucial bogey
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:27
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
One of the best bogey putts Viktor Hovland will ever make, that. After getting himself in a right muddle at the 10th, the Norwegian snatches a five from downtown having appeared to be shuddering to a halt. He’ll say his prayers wandering to the 11th tee still just five back.
Rory McIlroy drops a shot at eight
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:19
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A second birdie of the day for Corey Conners, cancelling out to bogeys. He’s been a spectator to the show alongside Rory McIlroy, but a solid round will keep him in touch.
But that’s a bogey for his playing partner, a first blemish on the card. A slight misread of his par putt leaks it out to the right, and he pays the price for that nasty drive.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:13
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
More problems for Rory McIlroy. His tee shot at the eighth ends up sprawled in the sand, and a vicious upslope means he can’t do much with his second. He finds the back corner with his third but there’s loads to do to get down in two for a par.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:10
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Steady eddie golf from Jason Day as he trots into Amen Corner with five consecutive pars having extricated himself from quite the predicament behind a magnolia tree. -6. A productive 11, 12, 13 - tricky though that is - could put the pressure on.
Rory McIlroy makes par
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:02
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Par saved. The run of threes will not continue but given where he stuck his tee shot, that might be his best hole yet.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:00
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s just so smooth. A potentially troublesome chip is played with just about perfect weight, drawing a thumbs up from Corey Conners as McIlroy sets himself up for a short putt. It won’t be a seventh three but a four should be his.
At the sixth, Bryson DeChambeau has a trickier par attempt. A bit of left to right...scooting in! He’s sticking in there.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:55
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Right, can Rory McIlroy dig himself out of the mire? He’s got a little lucky to avoid the pine straw, instead sitting in the second cut. How does he play it? Punch out? Send up a flyer and hope?
The latter, it seems. Up it goes, down it comes...long and left, but in the game. A par is his best hope but we know he’s in a confident mood.
FORE!
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:49
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Well, it was fun while it lasted. A first real sign of vulnerability in this remarkable Rory McIlroy start, wiping one into the trees at the seventh. That’s down by the 17th tee box - though given how he’s playing, he might just find an angle to the flag.
Rory McIlroy saves par at six
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:45
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Oh, Rory McIlroy is in the zone. Six threes in a row to start his round - the first player in Masters history to ever to do that. This par at six needs saving, too, but a nerveless putt never looks likely to end up anywhere other than buried at the bottom of the cup.
A hole behind, Bryson DeChambeau very nearly finds a miracle out of the backside bunker. A second salvaged par from the sand from him in a row will keep him in check.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:37
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
A birdie at the sixth for Shane Lowry continues a dream day so far for those of an Irish persuasion. He joins Justin Rose, whose just lost a shot at the fourth and hasn’t yet got going, at seven under.
Another birdie for Rory McIlroy!
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:31
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Five under through five! Rory McIlroy raises a palm to the patron, another lengthy birdie putt disappearing without so much of a wobble. This is extraordinary.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:28
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Just when Viktor Hovland was beginning to threaten, dropped shots at five and six see him slide again. An eventful front nine so far for Hovland, who suggested yesterday that he felt his swing was currently only at a seven out of 10 - for a player known for tinkering, you do wonder if Hovland will ever be totally happy with his game.
A dropped shot for Bryson DeChambeau
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:23
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Yep, a bogey for Bryson at the third. He admonishes himself as he knocks it in - he knows he’s played that poorly.
Bryson DeChambeau scrambling
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:19
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
All a little untidy from Bryson DeChambeau at the third, biting off more than he can chew with his drive, making a hash of his first chip and then leaving the second shy of where he’d like it. A real nibbler of a par putt to come.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:15
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
He won’t let it affect him, but Scottie Scheffler will be hearing the cheers from the groups behind him. He’s not quite found his range yet, though he averts disaster at the fifth with a lovely up and down.
Speaking of which, for the second time today, Sungjae Im’s caddie won’t be required to retrieve his putter. The South Korean holes out from a frontside bunker to join those four in arrears.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:11
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s not quite McIlroy’s start, but birdie, birdie means Bryson DeChambeau has blown out of the blocks, too. His long eagle putt after that iron leaves him with work to do, but the US Open winner does it with a minimum of fuss.
Shane Lowry, meanwhile, has dropped back to -6.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:07
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
There are times where you have to remember just how good, and frankly freakish, some of these guys are. When faced with 244 yards, there are plenty of golfers would be happy to give it a go in two; Bryson DeChambeau instead stands over his ball with iron in hand and finds the green. An eagle putt upcoming at the second.
On the third green, meanwhile, it’s another for Rory McIlroy. Four strokes gained in three holes. Supreme golf.
Lowry on the move
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:01
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Rory McIlroy’s isn’t the only Irishman off to a strong start. Par, birdie, birdie for Shane Lowry, whose eyeing his great mate at the top of the leaderboard.
An eagle for Rory McIlroy!
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:54
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Oh my! Rory McIlroy has an eagle at the second! A chip from the fringe is delicate, deft and delectable, the hole gobbling it up. What a start - we have a new solo leader.
Masters third round
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:52
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
McIlroy goes right at the flag at the second, but it’s almost impossible to hold it with that pin position today - in behind a bunker in a shallow section. McIlroy’s high, hanging iron kicks just out the back.
No birdie at three for Scheffler, a makeable putt sliding by for the second time in three holes for the American.
But there are roars at one - Bryson DeChambeau drains one from a distance having flown towards the back. Nobody’s had a handle on that angle today, but beefy Bryson nailed it. Into a share of the lead.
Rory McIlroy birdies the first
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:48
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Booming drive, precise approach, perfect putt - it’s been a great start from Rory McIlroy:
Rory McIlroy starts his third round with a birdie! pic.twitter.com/ujfdSUaF3j
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) April 12, 2025
Viktor Hovland on the move
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:47
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Sound the alarms - Viktor Hovland is on a roll. Birdie, birdie at two and three for the Norwegian, who joins Corey Conners and Scottie Scheffler at -6.
Crikey, Rory McIlroy is properly feeling it. Just the 369 yards from the tee at the second.
All groups out on course
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:42
,
Harry Latham-Coyle
Justin Rose and Bryson DeChambeau have teed off - all of our groups are out on course or back in the clubhouse.
Rose doesn’t much like his drive, a grimace as he dances up by the bunker on the first. He might well be in it, you know.
A three-wood for DeChambeau, who nails it. Right of centre but A-OK.
Up on the green, w
