Rory McIlroy is making his move on history.
McIlroy entered Saturday’s third round of the Masters in a tie for third place but started the day with six straight 3s – two pars, three birdies and an eagle – to surge into a three-stroke lead at 11-under.
How rare and impressive is that scorecard? McIlroy is the first player in Masters history to start a round with six consecutive 3s or better, according to The PGA Tour.
McIlroy has been playing his best golf in years to start 2025, which sparked hope that he might be able to finally complete the career Grand Slam this weekend.
He has won the PGA Championship (2012 and 2014), the U.S. Open (2011) and the British Open (2014), but he has never finished higher than second (2022) at the Masters.
McIlroy took a four-shot lead into Sunday in 2011 with a green jacket in sight before imploding on the back nine, starting with a duck-hook drive and triple bogey on 10.
It’s already been a wild few days for McIlroy, who squandered the potential for a good opening round by double-bogeying two of the final four holes to finish at even-par 72.
But McIlroy salvaged his chances with a bounce-back 6-under 66 round on Friday. And apparently a night’s sleep did nothing to cool down his clubs.
Headed to the seventh hole Saturday, McIlroy had a three-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau and was up four on Shane Lowry and Justin Rose.
McIlroy is more than a decade into his maddening chase to become just the sixth golfer to complete a career Grand Slam.
Confidence has been a roller-coaster at times during that span, but he came into Augusta National off the highs of winning Pebble Beach in late January and The Players Championship last month.
