The Masters Tonight - Saturday: Ragged Rory gives up advantage but shares lead heading to Sunday

We began this week thinking it could be one of the most wide-open Masters ever, and as we head to Masters Sunday, that is what we have, but nobody would ever have expected that this time last night. Rory McIlroy's errant play from the tee finally caught up with him, and he did well to scramble for a round of 73, which sees him hold a share of the lead alongside The Players Champion, Cameron Young at 11-under-par at Augusta.

The defending champion built a six-stroke lead on Friday with a fine finish, but on Saturday he hit just three fairways, and his poor driving put pressure on his approach play, which also failed on several occasions, leading to bogeys on 1, 12 and 17, and a double-bogey on the 11th. McIlroy admitted that he knew the day was going to be tough, despite having a comfortable lead, and he was happy enough when speaking to Sky Sports after the round this evening.

The fact is, watching Rory today was a little like watching my team's faltering bid for a first Premier League title in 22 years. Of course Rory does not have the nerves as he won The Masters last year and ended the long wait, but he was ragged, uninspired and seemed incapable of extending his comfortable lead into a dominant one.

Last night the story was all about Rory, but it isn't tonight.

The Players Champion Cameron Young surged through the field with a round of 65 to set the clubhouse target at 11-under-par, and there are now 8 players within four shots of the leaders. Young defeated fellow European Ryder Cup player Matt Fitzpatrick to win last month's Players Championship at Sawgrass, and his play on Saturday suggested he could definitely add a Green Jacket to that trophy on Sunday.

Young, who came to prominence at the 150th Open, here in St Andrews, 4 years ago, made his breakthrough last year with a first PGA TOUR win at the Wyndham Championship, before claiming The Players a few weeks ago. The American, from New York, is 28 and was born a month after Tiger Woods won the 1997 Masters, and he will head into Sunday with a share of the lead and a chance to emulate the icon by making The Masters his first Major triumph.

Young began Saturday 8 shots adrift of McIlroy, but remarkably took the lead after McIlroy's bogey on the 12th hole, and with 8 birdies of his own he put himself into Sunday's final group. Young and McIlroy will begin their final rounds 1 shot clear of Sam Burns, 2 ahead of Shane Lowry, 3 ahead of Justin Rose and Jason Day, and 4 clear of World Number One Scottie Scheffler and China's Haotong Li.

Scottie Scheffler started the third round 12 shots behind McIlroy, on Sunday the 2-time Champion will start just four shots adrift. The danger man lurking ominously.

This Masters promised to be open, and so far this golfing season has delivered a plethora of storylines, and Sunday will have many more. History beckons.

SHANK, by Matt Hooper