Rory McIlroy is the overnight leader heading into the final round of The Masters as world number one Scottie Scheffler was left looking on at his biggest rival take the leaderboard by storm.
McIlroy started the third round in quite remarkable fashion as he made threes on the first six holes to become the only player in Masters history to do so.
McIlroy then had a mid-round wobble before recovering and making a stunning eagle on 15 to put himself ahead of the pack.
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For Scottie Scheffler, it will feel like a long way back at five under par and with McIlroy in such fine form, the green jacket is his to lose.
However, when it comes to seeing Rory McIlroy at the summit, Scheffler has admitted it makes little difference to him personally.
Scottie Scheffler gives verdict on seeing Rory McIlroy lead The Masters
Scottie Scheffler was straight into the media after his up and down round of 72 saw him sit seven back going into Sunday.
Indeed, Scheffler was then quizzed specifically on looking at the leader boards and more so, if seeing someone like McIlroy up there makes things any different.
For Scheffler, though, it matters little.
“I think you always notice what’s on the leaderboard, but for instance, Rory got off to a great start, but I just told myself we’re 39, 40 holes into this golf tournament. It’s not nearly over. I can’t control what anybody else is doing out there. I’ll pay attention, but it’s not going to change how I play the golf course ultimately,” Scheffler admitted.
Going into the specifics of if it matters if it’s McIlroy and not someone else, Scheffler suggested it’s nothing to do with him.
“I don’t think so. I think what’s most important for me out there is I’m trying to battle the golf course. I’m playing against myself and the golf course out there.
“I can’t control what other people are doing. It doesn’t matter to me who’s on top of the leaderboard. I try to shoot the lowest score that I can shoot on a given day, and today apparently that was only even par.”
Rory McIlroy needs to banish demons of 2011 to finally win The Masters
There will never be a better time for Rory McIlroy to win The Masters. It is that simple.
He is two clear of Bryson DeChambeau going into the final round and another shot clear of Corey Conners. He then has a six shot lead over the next closest competitors.
However, there is a big demon in the bag that needs addressing and that is that McIlroy had a similar lead back in 2011. McIlroy held a four shot lead that day before imploding and shooting 80.
Now 35, one would assume McIlroy is over that hump and will not repeat the same mistakes.
But golf is a funny old game and for McIlroy, it will be as much about the mental battle as it will the actual golf.
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