Masters 2016: Jordan Spieth takes one-shot lead into final round at Augusta

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Masters 2016: Jordan Spieth takes one-shot lead into final round at Augusta



A DRAMATIC late stumble from defending champion Jordan Spieth threw the Masters wide open going into the final round.
 
 His nearest challenger going into the third round - Rory McIlroy suffered a hugely disappointing day at Augusta though.
 
 McIlroy managed a 77, failing to card a single birdie for the first time in 81 major rounds.
 
 However, playing partner Spieth also bogeyed the 17th and double bogeyed the 18th after wild drives to card a 73 and finish three under par, just a shot ahead of fellow American Smylie Kaufman.
 
 The 58-year-old Bernhard Langer was just a shot further back alongside Hideki Matsuyama and in contention to become the oldest major champion ever by a decade.
 
 World number one Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and England's Danny Willett are on level par.
 
 Lee Westwood, Soren Kjeldsen and Brandt Snedeker were a shot further back, with McIlroy five shots behind Spieth on two over as he looks to complete the career grand slam.
 
 "I climbed back nicely to get two under on the day and I thought even par was a fantastic score in those winds when we were warming up," said Spieth.
 
 "So two under with three to go and the wind at your side, I just got really wayward from there.
 
 "I just have to absolutely throw it away, the finish to this round, pretend it's a new round, everyone is tied and you have to shoot the best score to win.
 
 "(I have to) understand it's the position I wanted to be in after 54 holes and not think about the finish to this round."
 
 Langer, who won his first green jacket 31 years ago and the second three months before Spieth was born, used his experience to shoot 70 and believes he can surpass the 48-year-old Julius Boros as the oldest winner of any major.
 
 "I've been saying it's going to happen sooner or later," Langer said.
 
 "We have guys like Davis Love, Vijay Singh and Fred Couples who are all long enough to win majors.
 
 "I'm not in that category but I try to make up for it in others and tomorrow I'm going to give it my best. That's all I can do."
 
 Masters Leaderboard after third round:
 
 -3 Spieth (US)
 
 -2 Smylie Kaufman (US)
 
 -1 Bernhard Langer (Germany)
 Hideki Matsuyama (Japan)
 
 Evens Jason Day (Australia)
 Dustin Johnson (US)
 Danny Willett (Britain)
 
 +1 Lee Westwood (Britain)
 Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark)
 Brandt Snedeker (US)
 
 +2 Rory McIlroy (Britain)