AUGUSTA, Georgia, (Reuters) – Young gun Jordan Spieth, ice-cool under adversity, remained on track to add his name to golf’s record books as he led by four shots with three holes to play in yesterday’s final round at the Masters.
The 21-year-old American, aiming to become only the fifth wire-to-wire winner at Augusta National, mixed six birdies with three bogeys to get to 19 under for the tournament.
Spieth’s playing partner Justin Rose of England, the 2013 U.S. Open champion, was alone in second with three-times Masters winner Phil Mickelson a further stroke back at 14 under, after 16 holes.
World number one Rory McIlroy, who had been on the brink of missing the cut midway through the second round, was at 11 under after 17 holes.
Spieth, who led by four strokes overnight, never allowed his challengers to get any closer than three shots as he relied on his trusty putter and ice-cool composure to rebound from any stumble in breezy conditions at Augusta.
Out in one-under 35 with a five-stroke cushion, he drained a 20-footer for birdie at the 10th to briefly forge six ahead before he faltered with a three-putt bogey at the tricky par-three 12th.
However, Spieth reached the green in two at the par-five 13th to card his fifth birdie of the day, and picked up another shot at the par-five 15th, again after two-putting, to keep at bay Rose, who reeled off three straight birdies from the 13th.
Should Spieth shoot a 69 or better, he would eclipse the tournament low of 18-under-par 270 achieved by Tiger Woods in 1997 when the former world number claimed his first major title.
He is also bidding to become the second youngest winner at the Masters, after Woods.
Four-times champion Woods, on his return to competition after a two-month absence to retool his game, was a distant 12 strokes off the pace with one hole to play.
Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, helped by an eagle at the par-five 13th, closed with a superb 66 to hold the clubhouse lead at 11-under 277.
