Jordan Spieth extended his lead over Rory McIlroy to three shots in the third round of the Masters Tournament as Augusta National presented its toughest challenge of the week so far.
Windy conditions had combined with the notoriously tricky greens to make scoring difficult all week but McIlroy and Spieth had tackled the test the best over Thursday and Friday to be in a mouthwatering last group out.
The defending champion had held a one-shot lead overnight but a birdie on the second, coupled with a McIlroy bogey on the third, saw him extend his advantage through five holes as many of the field fell back.
Spieth played the par five second beautifully and made a birdie with two putts to get to five under, while McIlroy had to lay up after finding the bunker off the tee and make do with a par.
The lead was then extended to three on the next as Spieth made an excellent par save after finding the trees but McIlroy spun his second off the green and dropped a shot.
Both men then enjoyed a touch of good fortune as they hit the grandstand with their tee-shots on the fourth but made good up-and-downs to save par.
Hideki Matsuyama and Scott Piercy were then the only other players under par at one under with Matsuyama level on the day and Piercy having had a bogey on the fourth.
World Number One Jason Day and two-time champion Bernhard Langer were the only pairing who were both going well as they each reached the turn in 35 to sit at level par.
Danny Willett was also level after seven holes alongside Dustin Johnson, Smylie Kaufman and Brandt Snedeker, the Englishman having birdied the sixth and seventh.
Søren Kjeldsen was then at one over alongside Danny Lee and a shot ahead of Lee Westwood.
Louis Oosthuizen was the only player to have got into the clubhouse with an under par round, his 71 getting him to four over.
