Moving Day at Augusta National produced one of the most dramatic leaderboard reversals in recent Masters history. Rory McIlroy arrived at Saturday’s third round with the largest 36-hole lead in Masters history — six strokes clear of the field — and walked off the 18th green tied for the lead. Cameron Young fired a stunning 65 (−7) to erase McIlroy’s entire advantage, leaving the pair locked at 11-under par heading into Sunday’s final round.
Scottie Scheffler also went low with a 65, moving from 12 shots back to five. Shane Lowry posted a 68 that included a hole-in-one. Sam Burns sits one shot off the lead at −10. The 2026 Masters is wide open.
Round 3 Leaderboard — After 54 Holes
| Pos. | Player | R3 Score | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Rory McIlroy (NIR) | +1 (73) | -11 |
| T1 | Cameron Young (USA) | -7 (65) | -11 |
| 3 | Sam Burns (USA) | -2 (70) | -10 |
| 4 | Shane Lowry (IRL) | -4 (68) | -9 |
| T5 | Jason Day (AUS) | -2 (70) | -8 |
| T5 | Justin Rose (ENG) | -3 (69) | -8 |
| T7 | Scottie Scheffler (USA) | -7 (65) | -7 |
| T7 | Haotong Li (CHN) | -3 (69) | -7 |
| T9 | Patrick Cantlay (USA) | -2 (70) | -6 |
| T9 | Russell Henley (USA) | -2 (70) | -6 |
| T9 | Patrick Reed (USA) | -2 (70) | -6 |
The Collapse: McIlroy’s 73 Unravels History
McIlroy entered Round 3 at −12, six shots ahead of the field — the largest 54-hole lead in Masters history. For much of the front nine, he held the advantage. But Amen Corner turned against him.
The 12th hole — the short par-3 — proved pivotal. McIlroy dropped a shot there, and as Young kept making birdies, the gap closed hole by hole. By the time McIlroy walked off the 12th green, his six-shot lead was gone. He finished the day at 73 (+1), his first over-par round of the week.
It is the biggest third-round lead blown in Masters history. But McIlroy is still tied for the lead. He has been here before — famously at the 2011 Masters, when he held a four-shot advantage entering Sunday before a back-nine collapse. This Sunday at Augusta is his chance to rewrite that chapter.
Cameron Young’s 65: Best Round of the Week
Cameron Young played one of the rounds of the 2026 Masters, matching Scottie Scheffler for the low score of the day with a 65 (−7). Young was six shots back entering the day — largely an afterthought given McIlroy’s commanding lead. He left as co-leader.
Young’s round was built on opportunistic birdie-making on the par-5s and a driver that found the fairway all day. His surge from well off the pace to tied for the lead is one of the biggest single-day climbs in recent Masters history. Young and McIlroy will be paired together in Sunday’s final group.
Scheffler’s 65 Keeps the World No. 1 in Play
Scottie Scheffler, the world number one, entered Moving Day 12 shots back. He left with a 65 (−7) — the joint low round of the day — and sits at −7, five shots off the lead. Five back with 18 holes at Augusta is a long way, but Scheffler has shown before he is capable of extraordinary Sunday charges.
Lowry’s Hole-in-One at the 6th
Shane Lowry provided one of the day’s standout moments: a hole-in-one at the 6th hole, the 190-yard par-3, using a 7-iron. The ace helped Lowry to a 68 and moved him to −9, two shots off the lead entering Sunday. The 2019 Open champion is a genuine contender at Augusta.
What to Watch on Sunday
The 2026 Masters final round is set up for maximum drama. McIlroy, seeking redemption for a career of near-misses at Augusta. Young, a first-time major contender playing the golf of his life. Scheffler, Burns, Lowry, Rose and Day — all within five shots. Augusta National produces Sunday drama like nowhere else, and the 2026 edition looks set to deliver.
McIlroy and Young tee off in the final pairing at 2:25 p.m. EDT on Sunday. Full coverage on CBS Sports and the Masters app.
