Ludvig Åberg was birdie hunting on Saturday – and there were many birdies.
In total, the Swedish golf star rolled in seven birdies, but it wasn't enough because he also made four bogeys during the round.
"Very mixed, I think. A lot of it was good, of course the back nine was positive. But when I think back on the front nine and the bogeys I made, I left the short shots on the wrong side of the hole. If I clean up my bogeys I would have been happy with the round," said Åberg as he met the media in the afternoon sun at the clubhouse at Augusta National.
Åberg paired with world number one Scottie Scheffler and got off to a good start with a birdie on the third and a great opportunity for another birdie on the fourth.
Then everything changed.
In the scorching heat, Åberg's game went cold for a grim stretch, where he first missed the short birdie putt on the fourth and then followed with three straight bogeys on holes 5, 6 and 7.
Five birdies on the back nine
Åberg recovered considerably after that and went the last nine in 32 strokes. He made birdies on holes 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15 – with a bogey in between when he hit his second shot into the water on hole 13.
Was it a given choice to go for the green there?
"Yes, but I liked it. I was in a sprinkler head and got a free drop. When I dropped it, it sat down nicely. If it had been more than a four-iron, I probably wouldn't have done it," said the 26-year-old, who is playing his third Masters.
In his debut two years ago, Åberg finished second and last year he finished seventh. Both times he was in contention for the victory on Sunday.
In 21st place
Now the final round is more about tidying up his numbers and reaching a reasonably good position. Åberg is tied for 21st after rounds of 74–70–69 (total -3) in the first three rounds.
"Overall, I'm definitely disappointed. I would have liked to be a little closer to the top than I am. Thursday I could have done a little better. Yesterday I think was okay. Then I definitely could have done a little better today - clean up those mistakes and the bogeys when you miss on the wrong side," he said.
Reigning champion Rory McIlroy started the day with a six-stroke lead, but lost it after a round of 73 and now shares the lead with American Cameron Young. Both are -11.
Scheffler - who, like Young, finished with a 65 and had the best round of the day - is closing in at -7.
Alex Norén, the other Swede in the Masters, also shot 69 and is tied for 39th at +1.
