Sunday 8 April 2018 02:47, UK
Tommy Fleetwood produced a birdie barrage on the back nine in his third round to storm into contention at the Masters.
However, the European No 1's round ended on a low note as he three-putted the 18th for his only bogey of the day.
As a result he signed for a six-under-par 66 - the first time he has broken par at the Masters - which left him on six under for the tournament after 54 holes.
Fleetwood, who was playing his first weekend round at the Masters, said: "We actually said I wanted to kind of beat the golf course today for the first time and it is a strange feeling coming off disappointed with a 66.
"But it was a great day. I played brilliant all day, literally from the first to the last I hit really, really good golf shots where I wanted to hit them and it was just a case of rolling some putts in or just letting the score happen really.
"It was soft. The greens lacked a foot or two of pace. But generally it was a really good day for scoring. But you've still got to go do it and it's still not a very easy course, so it's nice to get something going."
Fleetwood's status as the owner of the joint-lowest round of the week lasted only around 30 minutes until Spain's Jon Rahm came home in seven-under 65, a score that was also matched by Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy shortly afterwards.
World No 3 Rahm had five birdies and an eagle three at the eighth, where he chipped in from the front edge of the green, as he moved to eight under from one under.
The 23-year-old, who is making his second Masters appearance, has scored progressively better this week after opening with rounds of 75 and 68.
When asked what the key to his improvement has been, he replied: "Very small details around this place. I've played pretty good every day, but being able to keep it on the fairway and then make the putts.
"I realised the first day that basically almost every bogey I've made has been because I missed the fairway.
"Once you miss the fairway it's really hard to hit those greens and it's really hard to make up-and-down, so I just focused on keeping it in play and my iron game has been really solid all week. So I just gave myself opportunities and today I was making them."
Rahm would become the fourth Spaniard to win the Masters, following Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia, if he prevails on Sunday, but he knows there is plenty of work still to do.
"There's a lot of golf to be played, especially the way people are playing out there," he added.
"We can't forget how many good players are out there and how good Patrick Reed is playing.
"We all know the Masters starts on the back nine on a Sunday, but you need to be in position at that moment. So hopefully I can get a fast start again tomorrow."
