… and so a coruscating day of ebb and flow comes to an end. Moving Day moved all right! Here’s the top of the leader board after all that glorious nonsense. See you for more wild and wonderful drama tomorrow? OK, it’s a date!

-7: Scheffler
-6: Morikawa
-5: Homa
-4: Aberg
-3: DeChambeau
-2: Schauffele, Davis, Hojgaard
-1: An, Smith, Young, Fleetwood
E: Cantlay, Glover, Schenk
+1: Kirk, Fitzpatrick, Reed, Pavon
+2: Straka
+3: McIlroy, Niemann, Zalatoris, Hatton, Willett

Max Homa nearly adds to the party atmosphere by holing out from the sand. The ball rolls five feet past, though, leaving a tough one coming back. But in it goes, and that par save is a huge one too. He celebrates with a fist pump and everyone wanders off a lot happier than they were after their second shots.

This is outrageous! Bryson DeChambeau lands his wedge from 77 yards ten feet to the right of the cup. It takes one bounce left, then leaps elegantly into the cup and disappears! Birdie! Out of nowhere! He waves his arms in the air, hugs his caddie, takes his cap off, and soaks up the bedlam pouring down from the gallery! That could be huge tomorrow. He’s still signing for a 75, but he suddenly looks revived! Barely a minute earlier, he had the weight of the world on his shoulders! Wow. Only at Augusta.

Bryson DeChambeau finds his ball under some hanging branches and does well to smash back out onto the fairway. There weren’t too many gaps in there. But he wears the look of a man who knows he’s let a great situation slip through his fingers in the last 40 minutes or so. Meanwhile Max Homa’s chance of a birdie today looks pretty slim now, as he’s dunked his second into sand on the right. Not much green to work with from there.

Bryson DeChambeau tidies up on 17 for his par … only to hoick his drive at 18 into the trees down the right. His ball takes a while to drop down from a tree. Meanwhile Max Homa splits the fairway. One last chance to slake that birdie thirst?

Bryson DeChambeau putts from the fringe at the front. He’s not far away from making it, but the ball shaves the lip and continues six feet past. Meanwhile up on 18, Scottie Scheffler gently prods his birdie putt into the centre of the cup and punches the air gently, but nonetheless with feeling. That birdie could be so precious tomorrow. He signs for a 71 that could have been better … but given his wobble in the middle of the round, could have been a whole lot worse. The response of a champion … which, of course, round here, he is. Closing par meanwhile for Nicolai Hojgaard, who did well to stem the bleeding of those five consecutive bogeys with three consecutive pars to finish. Hitting the top of the leader board led to an awful rush of blood to the head, but hopefully having come out the other side, the young debutant has learned a few things. And at -2, he’s still very much in the mix.

-7: Scheffler (F)
-6: Morikawa (F)
-5: Homa (17)

Scottie Scheffler is such a cool customer. After that careless three-putt bogey on 17, his response is to send a forensic missile of an approach over the stick on the last. He’ll have an eight-foot look at birdie coming back. That’d restore his sole ownership of the lead. Meanwhile back on 17, Bryson DeChambeau clatters a monster drive down the track, but he finds himself too close to the green and can’t hold his wedge in. It spins back off the front. Max Homa, considerably shorter from the tee, is comfortably on in regulation.

Collin Morikawa knocks in his par putt, and that’s a 69. He’s improved by a shot every day, and he’s the only player with every round under par. A big chance he’ll be in the final group tomorrow, though nothing’s set in stone yet.

-6: Morikawa (F), Scheffler (17)
-5: Homa (16)
-4: Aberg (F)
-2: Schauffele (F), Davis (F), Hojgaard (17), DeChambeau (16)

On 18, Collin Morikawa sends his second into the punters to the left of the green. He’s faced with an awkward chip down … but manages to gently lob it to three feet. More importantly, it’s uphill. Back on the tee, Scottie Scheffler crashes a perfect drive down the middle. And over on 16, Max Homa tidies up for par, but Bryson DeChambeau can’t dribble his back into the cup, and there goes another shot.

Scottie Scheffler trickles his par putt towards the hole. A little left to right slide. It looks like dropping … but stays on the lip, and this one gets slung out too. That flies four feet to the left. He cleans up for bogey. Meanwhile on 16, Bryson DeChambeau and Max Homa both send their tee shots to the bottom of the green, leaving long 40-footers uphill. The former clatters his first putt eight feet past. He’s in danger of overheating here. Homa tickles his up to a couple of feet. With the course playing so hard, there’s such a big half-hour or so coming up.

-6: Morikawa (17), Scheffler (17)
-5: Homa (15)
-4: Aberg (F)

Ludvig Aberg can’t make his birdie putt at 18. It drifts a dimple wide to the right – but there haven’t been so many pars on this hole lately, and he’ll be more than happy with a 70. Meanwhile Scottie Scheffler is over the back of 17 in two. His chip up races a good eight feet past. A wee test here.

Two putts meanwhile for Max Homa, and he’s much the happier of the two men in the final group. Meanwhile up on 18, Ludvig Aberg continues to impress, crashing his drive down the middle, then lifting an iron pin high, where he’ll take a 12-foot look at birdie. If that goes in, he’ll almost certainly be in the penultimate group tomorrow afternoon, and maybe in the final one depending on what everyone else gets up to.

-7: Scheffler (16)
-6: Morikawa (17)
-5: Homa (15)
-4: Aberg (17)
-3: DeChambeau (15)
-2: Schauffele (F), Davis (17), Hojgaard (16)
-1: An (F), Smith (F), Young (F), Fleetwood (F)

DeChambeau drops by the bank and bundles his fifth stroke onto the green. But he’s left himself a long bogey putt. He races it six feet past, and does well to hole the next one for a double-bogey seven. Meanwhile up on 17, Morikawa steels himself and drains his par putt! And on 18, a three-putt bogey for Tommy Fleetwood, who signs for a 72. He looks happy enough, if bedraggled, a little through-the-mill.

DeChambeau opens his wedge and … flips right underneath his ball. It bounces sadly into the bank and pings left into the blue vagueness. “Completely duffed it!” cries Sir Nick Faldo on Sky. DeChambeau will load again. In the meantime, on 17, Collin Morikawa watches in horror as his aggressive long birdie putt lips out and sling-shots 15 feet past the hole. Augusta National bearing its teeth again.

Max Homa spins his third into 15 to ten feet. It’s a look at birdie, but a fast downhill one. Meanwhile his playing partner Bryson DeChambeau hoicks his second towards the patrons down the right. He’ll have quite the chip towards the green, because anything that veers left will be toying with the bank, and therefore the drink. Brave heart and a little magic required here.

Bogey for Danny Willett at the last. That’s three in the last four, and the 2016 champion signs for a 76. He ends the day at +3. Just for a while, after that opening 68, he’d have been dreaming of a second win, but once the initial irritation of the last two rounds subsides, he’ll look on this week fondly, coming as it does so soon after shoulder surgery.

Scottie Scheffler sends his second over the back of 15, and doesn’t get particularly close with his chip. But he’ll still have a look at birdie from 12 feet or so. Meanwhile the struggles of Nicolai Hojgaard continue apace; he drops, then sends his chip over the back of 15. He does well to get up and down to limit the damage to bogey, but that’s five in a row now. Then Scheffler walks in his birdie putt, and after tottering nervously through Amen Corner, the world number one has gathered himself and regained control of this tournament!

-7: Scheffler (15)
-6: Morikawa (16)
-5: Homa (14), DeChambeau (14)
-4: Aberg (17)
-2: Schauffele (F), Young (17), Fleetwood (17), Davis (16), Hojgaard (15)

Bryson DeChambeau tickles his 20-foot birdie putt across 14 and into the cup! What a response to the three-putt fiasco on the previous green. Max Homa can’t make his from half the distance, and his long wait for a birdie goes on: 28 holes now. In the meantime, up on 15, there’s even more misery for the rapidly unravelling Nicolai Hojgaard, who sends another approach at a par-five into the water. This is hard to watch.

-6: Morikawa (15), Scheffler (14)
-5: Homa (14), DeChambeau (14)
-4: Aberg (16)
-3: Hojgaard (14)
-2: Schauffele (F), Young (17), Fleetwood (17), Davis (15)

Collin Morikawa’s birdie putt has a little left-to-right jiggle … but he hits it too hard, through the break, and a chance to claim sole ownership of the lead passes him by. Just a par. Meanwhile back on 14, Bryson DeChambeau and Max Homa both find the green in regulation. Homa is closest, and will have a look at his first birdie of the day from 12 feet.

Collin Morikawa wedges his third into 15. He sets himself up with a five-foot birdie chance. Behind him, Scottie Scheffler crashes one of the drives of the day down the left-hand side of the fairway. Meanwhile up on 16, it’s a two-putt par from the fringe for Ludvig Aberg, who remains a couple off the current lead at -4.

Bryson DeChambeau stomps off 13 in a hot funk. He found the green in two after the mother of booming drives, but having sailed his second over the flag, was left with a treacherous eagle putt back down towards the cup. He barely touched the ball, only to watch it roll six feet past. He failed to make the one coming back … and while that’s a par, that’s not what he was dreaming of a couple of minutes beforehand. Par for Max Homa, too, but he’s happier to settle for that after wedging on in three. The difference between ending up above and below the hole, writ large by DeChambeau’s three-putt and Scottie’s eagle.

Tommy Fleetwood makes his second birdie in a matter of minutes, teasing in his birdie putt on 16. Only just, mind, the right-hand lip catching enough of a ball that was threatening to dribble wide. But he’s suddenly up to -2 and right in this! But it’s four bogeys in a row for Nicolai Hojgaard now, as he bundles a chip over the back of 14. In fact he does well to limit the damage with his putt back up the bank to kick-in distance. But since taking sole leadership of the Masters on 10, at -7, he’s now clattered down the leader board to -3 after 14. What a test Augusta National is.

Collin Morikawa does exceptionally well to get up and down from the back of 14. A big par save, one that Ludvig Aberg couldn’t manage a few minutes ago. He stays at -6. Meanwhile Tommy Fleetwood is hitting his straps: he swishes an elegant tee shot at 16 straight at the pin. He’ll have a big look at birdie from four feet. But a bogey for Ludvig Aberg at the par-five 15th, the punishment for an underhit chip from the back of the green. He slips to -4.

Tommy Fleetwood isn’t out of this yet. He’s been quiet – just a bogey at 10 in a sea of pars – but now he screws a wedge at 15 from 100 yards over the water to kick-in distance. Birdie, and he’s -1.

Bogey for Matt Fitzpatrick at 18. No great surprise there, he carded one on Thursday and Friday as well. But that’s a 73, and he’s in the hutch at +1. Seeing how the final groups are struggling to hold the greens at the moment, never mind get close, he won’t be too unhappy. The next couple of hours will decide how big a chance he’ll have to break from the pack and post a score tomorrow. If he’ll have one at all.

A big mistake at 13 by Nicolai Hojgaard. After a booming drive, he sends a 7-iron into Rae’s Creek. Meanwhile more unwelcome Scandinavian news as Ludvig Aberg fails to get up and down from the back of 14, having been shortsided. Bogey. A shame, because his approach was a few inches away from being close to perfect. And it’s a bogey for both Max Homa and Bryson DeChambeau at 12. Augusta National baring its teeth.

-6: Morikawa (13)
-5: Aberg (14), Hojgaard (12), Homa (12)
-4: Scheffler (12), DeChambeau (12)
-2: Schauffele (F), Smith (16)

Max Homa and Bryson DeChambeau take turns to fly the 12th green, then overhit their putts coming back. The nerves are jangling all around Augusta National, so much so that it almost feels like Sunday. Almost. Imagine what tomorrow is going to be like! This has the potential to be an outrageously dramatic Masters.

Collin Morikawa gets brave and goes for the 13th green in two. He gets over the creek and past the flag, but then gets really heavy-handed with his eagle putt coming back. He’s left with a left-to-right ten-foot slider … and leaves it out on the high side. That’s a disappointing par, and he remains in a tie for the lead at -6.

Xander Schauffele isn’t going anywhere. Well, he’s going for a long cold glass of iced tea, as he’s just finished his round, but you get the general gist. After a steady 17 holes – pars all the way, with the exception of birdies at 3 and 13 – it looks like the Californian is going to finally drop a shot after firing his tee shot at 18 into the trees. But he somehow forces his second over the back of the green, and despite sending the one coming back 15 feet past the flag, makes a big saving putt that could prove so precious tomorrow. He signs for a 70 and is the new clubhouse leader at -2.

A calm, collected birdie for Ludvig Aberg at the par-five 13th! A lay up short of Rae’s Creek and a wedge to five feet. In pops the putt, and the major-championship debutant has a share of the lead at the Masters. Let me reformat that: the major-championship debutant has a share of the lead at the Masters. Meanwhile back on 11, a three-putt bogey for Bryson DeChambeau – par for Max Homa - while on 12, Nicolai Hojgaard is unable to get up and down from his tight spot at the back. Scottie Scheffler escapes with par, despite a slightly heavy handed first putt.

-6: Aberg (13), Morikawa (12), Homa (11)
-5: Hojgaard (12), DeChambeau (11)
-4: Scheffler (12)

A minor comedy classic on 18, courtesy of Tyrrell Hatton. Left with a three-foot putt for his par, he hits it way too hard, and it horseshoes out and flies 10 feet away. He misses the one coming back, and ends up with a completely unnecessary double. You’d expect some industrial-strength effing and jeffing, but Hatton does surprisingly well to keep quiet, limiting his actions to whipping his hat off his head in cold fury. You can imagine his inner monologue (but only if you’re over 18). He’s +3.

“Oh jeez, I thought I just did that.” Bryson DeChambeau hollers in relief as his approach into 11 looks like curving into the drink … only to get over by a couple of feet. He’ll now have a long look at birdie. He’ll just be delighted not to be staring bogey or worse in the face. Max Homa gets on the front of the green without drama, and will have a much better look at birdie. Meanwhile up on 12, Nicolai Hojgaard flies the green and finds the magnolias, while Scottie Scheffler’s ball takes a hard bounce and ends in the fringe at the back. You can slice the tension with a 3-iron; imagine what it’s going to be like this time tomorrow!

Scottie Scheffler looks uncharacteristically rattled by that double bogey. He leaves his second down into 11 short of the green, then hits a weak chip that takes a left turn and stops 12 feet away. The par putt drifts right, and there goes another shot. He’s only gone bogey-bogey once this season … up until now. Meanwhile a bogey for his partner Nicolai Hojgaard, the result of flaying his approach into Larry Mize Country. Meanwhile up on 18, a par for Tiger, but all that does is break a run of four consecutive bogeys. It’s a spirit-sapping 82 and he ends the day at +11.

-6: Morikawa (12), Hojgaard (11), Homa (10), DeChambeau (10)
-5: Aberg (12)
-4: Scheffler (11)

Aberg has ice in the veins. He confidently rattles in the 12-foot par putt across 12. Right into the centre of the cup! He has the good grace to share a laugh with his caddie, knowing full well he’s gotten away with one there. Meanwhile back on 10, a bounceback birdie for Bryson DeChambeau, the reward for sending his second shot from 207 yards to seven feet. An up and down meanwhile for Max Homa, from the bank down the left. This is outrageously good fun.

-7: Hojgaard (10)
-6: Morikawa (11), Homa (10), DeChambeau (10)
-5: Aberg (12), Scheffler (10)
-2: Schauffele (16), Smith (13), Davis (11)
-1: Glover (15), FOx (13), Young (12)
E: Cantlay (F), Fitzpatrick (16), Reed (14), Willett (13), Fleetwood (12)

Ludvig Aberg had pushed his luck a bit at 11. His approach took the Tiger line, unnecessarily dicing with the water to the left, then he raced his first putt eight feet past. But he made the one coming back to save his par. He might not be so lucky at 12, however, having sent his tee shot long and left, and the only just held the green with his putt back down. He’ll have another tester to save par.

Scottie Scheffler is deep in the straw. He’s got a backswing at least, but the azaleas are restricting it a bit. He can only punch out, his ball flying 60 feet past the hole. At least it didn’t topple back down the fairway. And then he nearly drains the monster par putt! Wow. That would have been beyond outrageous. He’s left with a four footer to limit the damage to bogey … but his next putt horseshoes out! A double out of nowhere. And in between those putts, Nicolai Hojgaard drains a monster of his own for birdie, and the Danish debutant is the new leader of the Masters! A three-shot swing at 10!

-7: Hojgaard (10)
-6: Morikawa (10), Homa (9)
-5: Aberg (11), Scheffler (10), DeChambeau (9)
-3: Davis (10)

Trouble for the leader at 10. Scottie Scheffler sends a hot one through the green and down the bank at the back. His ball trundles all the way into the pine straw. Meanwhile a closing bogey for Patrick Cantlay – who led this tournament in 2019 on Sunday with three holes to play, only to slip to a tie for ninth – but he’s still signing for a 70 that puts him into the current clubhouse lead at level par.

Max Homa is happy to take two putts for his par. He’s played the first nine in 36, a par on every hole. Bryson DeChambeau however leaves his putt high on the left, and that’s a really careless bogey, having held a wedge in his hand from the centre of the fairway. He’s turning in 37 at -5. Meanwhile up on 10, Collin Morikawa sends his second down the bank to the left. He opts to putt up, and bundles his ball to six feet. In goes the saver. But there’s disaster for his playing partner Cameron Davis, who having found trees from the tee, ends up down the bank at the back after three, and flubs his chip coming back up. He ends with a double bogey and slips to -3.

DeChambeau does indeed plump for putter. This is going to take a delicate touch. He does pretty well, too, up the slope, eight feet past the flag, just shy of the slope that would gather his ball down to the front of the green or even further away. A very good chance to save his par.

Max Homa becomes the latest player to stick his approach into 9 pin high to six feet. But trouble for his partner Bryson DeChambeau, who sends his wedge down a bank to the right of the green. That’ll be a delicate chip back up, especially as the sloping green has a notorious habit of taking anything overhit and dispatching it back down the fairway. Maybe the putter? The dangers are pretty much the same, to be fair.

Max Homa nearly breaks his birdie drought at 8. It would have been an outrageous one, mind you. Having sent his tee shot into trees, he was forced to hack out. Then his third into the green threatens to leak left, but takes a right turn off a hillock and lands pin high, 20 feet away from the pin. He can’t make the putt, but he’d have taken that par while in the oomska. Garden-variety birdie for big-hitting Bryson. Meanwhile on 10, Aberg pulls his birdie putt a tad. A big chance passed by. But at 9, Nicolai Hojgaard knocks his approach to six feet and makes the birdie putt. Just a par for the leader Scottie Scheffler, and this is so tight at the top right now!

-7: Scheffler (9)
-6: Morikawa (9), Hojgaard (9), Homa (8), DeChambeau (8)
-5: Aberg (10), Davis (9)
-3: Young (3)
-2: Schauffele (14), Smith (12)

Ludvig Aberg doesn’t mess about. Seconds after Tommy Fleetwood vacates the 10th green having made bogey – he was unable to get up and down from the bank – the 24-year-old Swede steps up and sends a heat-seeker pin high from 160 yards. He’ll have a great look at birdie on one of the hardest holes on the course from seven feet! Meanwhile back on 9, par for Collin Morikawa, who turns in 33, equalling Aberg’s number along the front nine.

Ludvig Aberg isn’t Scandinavia’s only hope this weekend. Nicolai Hojgaard is going round with Scottie Scheffler today, and while the leader couldn’t make his birdie at the generous par-five 8th, the young Dane could. He joins the group at -5 and this is bunching up in an extremely entertaining fashion.

Bryson DeChambeau splashes out to ten feet. It’s good enough to rescue par. He remains at -5. A two-putt par for Max Homa. Obviously. Meanwhile up on 8, Scottie Scheffler can’t get up and down from the front of the green and has to settle for par. And at 9, the Chris-Rea-earworm-inducing Ludvig Åberg spins a sensational wedge from 110 yards to four feet, and tidies up for a birdie. The debutant hits the turn in 33 strokes, and thoughts turn to Fuzzy Zoeller. He couldn’t, could he? He’s got the game. He’s got the temperament. He certainly could.

-7: Scheffler (8)
-6: Morikawa (8), Homa (7)
-5: Aberg (9), Davis (8), DeChambeau (7)

Max Homa is on 7 in regulation. Another par looms. His playing partner Bryson DeChambeau is up against it, however, having landed his wedge on the front edge of the green, his ball spinning back into the bunker. Meanwhile a fist pump from Collin Morikawa after birdie at the par-five 8th, and he’s one shot off the lead again. His playing partner, Cameron Davis, follows him in to move to -5.

Yet another par for Max Homa. Six out of six so far today. Steady is never bad at Augusta – he’s parred 19 of his last 20 holes, with a single bogey at 11 breaking that run – though the lack of birdie action may be on his mind. He’s not picked up a stroke since the 4th yesterday. Still, when you’re one shot off the lead midway through Moving Day at the Masters, all worries are relative.

-7: Scheffler (7)
-6: Homa (6)
-5: Morikawa (7), DeChambeau (6)
-4: Aberg (8), Davis (7), Hojgaard (7)
-3: Young (8)
-2: Smith (10)
-1: Cantlay (15), Schauffele (12), Fox (9), Fleetwood (8)

You’ll remember our mentioning Luke List, four under through 14, thus tempting the golfing gods to bugger up his round? Sorry Luke. And then you’ll remember talk of Chris Kirk, four under through 15? Well, you’ll be pleased to hear he got home relatively unscathed. It looked for a second like we’d administered the reverse Midas touch again, as he bogeyed 16, but birdie at 18 means the 38-year-old resident of nearby Athens – home of the B-52s and REM – signs for an as-of-yet best-of-day 68. Should any of the leaders match or beat that, they’ll be permitted to start dreaming of a green jacket tomorrow.

A brief lull in the action, so it’s time for a quick pimento cheese and iced tea. Meanwhile on the subject of sustenance … “Howdy doody Scott!” begins our old pal Simon McMahon, who may or may not already be celebrating Dundee United’s likely return to the Scottish Premiership after Raith’s goalless draw today. “I’ve often thought of what I’d have on the menu at the Champions Dinner if I ever won the Masters. Hey, dreams are free, right? Cullen Skink for starters, as much to see the confused look on faces as for the fact it’s the king of soups, followed by haggis, neeps and tatties for similar reasons, and cheese and oatcakes to finish. With all the cheeses of course - strings, triangles and slices. Macaroon bars and tablet for those who like something sweet. Washed down by pints. Of whisky. Though I’d be torn between the more traditional Scottish fayre as described, and maybe adding a modern twist, such as the pizza crunch, Scotch pie or mince roll. Proper delicacies all. Who wants to live past 60 these days anyway?”

Scottie Scheffler sends a fine tee shot pin high at the par-three 6th. He’s got a fairly straight look at birdie from 25 feet … but suffers a tsunami of blood to the noggin and races his putt eight feet past! That’s wild. But he calms himself down super-fast, and steers in the one coming back to save his par. A fine recovery, even if the first putt is a reminder to the rest of the field that the world number one isn’t perfect, and if anything is going to derail him, it’ll most likely be shenanigans with the flat stick.

Tiger sends his tee shot at the treacherous 12th over the back and to the left. He takes a 4-iron and plays a Scottish-style wedge up to six feet, but pushes the par putt wide right, walking after it in disgust from the moment he took it. He’s +8 now. Meanwhile up on 18, his old pal Phil Mickelson pars to complete a round of 74. A pretty steady one, all told … the exception being the four-putt triple-bogey at the 3rd. Lefty ends the day at +6.

Collin Morikawa takes his first mis-step of the day. What looks like a highly decent tee shot gently topples off the left-hand side of the green and down the bank. He’s not got a whole lot of green to work with, and though he manages to bump up to six feet, there’s enough movement in the putt that’s left to fox him. Bogey, and he’s back to -5.

-7: Scheffler (5)
-6: Homa (4)
-5: Morikawa (6), DeChambeau (4)
-4: Aberg (6), Davis (6), Hojgaard (5)

Scottie Scheffler is this close to the most perfect of bounceback birdies. The 5th is one of the hardest holes on the course, but the big man swats it aside, blasting a drive down the middle, then whistling an arrow towards the flag. An uphill 12-foot birdie effort turns a little to the left on its last turn and shaves the lip. How did that not drop? He remains at -7.

Max Homa has been quiet so far today. Three pars. Then he pulls his tee shot at the par-three 4th long and left. Is a slow start about to turn into a worrying one? Nope! He chips up deliciously from a tight spot near the grandstand at the back, and tidies up for his par. He remains one off the lead at -6. Meanwhile it’s an eagle for Shane Lowry from 118 yards out at 14! From the rough down the right, he finds the heart of the green and the camber takes the ball towards the pin on the right and in. Both arms in the air and a huge grin. He’s +4.

Rory gives his verdict to Sky. “It’s still pretty tough out there … some of the hole locations are really tricky … the wind is less than yesterday but still there … as the day goes on the greens are going to get firmer and firmer … it’s going to get tricky out there later … it felt better today … it was nice to make some birdies … a couple of years ago I went out there [on Sunday] and shot a good score … if conditions stay the same and you pick up four, five or six shots you’ll move up the leader board … hopefully I’ll finish the week on a positive note.”

A little bit of hope for the chasing pack. Scottie Scheffler dunks his ball into exactly the same spot in exactly the same bunker that Collin Morikawa found a few moments ago. His splash out isn’t so hot, though, and he’s left with a 12-footer coming back. He can’t make it, and hands back one of the strokes. He’s -7. Meanwhile bogey for Bryson DeChambeau at 3, as he elects to take putter from just off the green and hits an excitable one ten feet past. It costs him, and he slips to -5. Meanwhile Rory McIlroy pars his way home and signs for his second 71 of the week. He’s +3, and yesterday’s 77 has cost him big-time.

-7: Scheffler (4)
-6: Morikawa (4), Homa (3)
-5: DeChambeau (3)
-4: Aberg (5), Davis (4), Hojgaard (4)
-3: Fox (7), Young (6)

Back-to-back birdies for Cameron Young! The second the result of raking in a putt from the bottom of a swale to the right of the par-three 6th. He’s suddenly in the mix at -3. Meanwhile a second birdie of the day for Ludvig Aberg, who flings a dart at the flag at the imposing 5th, tidying up and moving to -4. Plenty of players making their move. If it wasn’t for Scottie Scheffler’s outrageous birdies at 1 and 3, you could throw a blanket over the top nine.

-8: Scheffler (3)
-6: Morikawa (4), Homa (2), DeChambeau (2)
-4: Fox (6), Aberg (5), Davis (4), Hojgaard (3)
-3: Young (6)

DeChambeau, who was unable to get up and down from the back of 2 for his birdie, now flays his tee shot at 3 into Scheffler County. It’s not quite as egregiously off-line, but he’s still chipping off pine straw. His chip pings through the green and off the far side, though he’s not a million miles from the flag and will be odds-on to get up and down for his par.

Collin Morikawa’s run of birdies ends at the par-three 4th … but only just. He finds the deep bunker front-right of the green, yet nearly holes out with a fine splash. Meanwhile history repeats itself back on 3, as Scheffler gets some relief from a man-made obstacle, just as he did in 2022, and chips on. Then he holes the 34-foot putt he’s left with. Another birdie snatched from the slavering maw of disaster! He’s -8, and right now the world number one looks utterly indestructible. He’s an astonishing player!

-8: Scheffler (3)
-6: Morikawa (4), Homa (2), DeChambeau (2)

Scottie Scheffler hooks deep into the trees down the left of 3. That’s an appalling shot, down near the concessions stands. Whether he’ll be too worried is a moot point, however, because he ended up down there on Sunday in 2022, and still ended up with a sensational chip-in birdie that went a long way to winning that year’s Masters.

Tiger’s troubles continue. He follows that double at 7 with another at the par-five 8th. A drive sent into trees down the left forces a chip out. He sends his third over the back of the green, and doesn’t chip close. Running hot, he takes three putts to get down. Then another loose tee shot finds the pines at 9, and a bogey means he hits the turn in 42 strokes. Ouch. He’s +7.

Collin Morikawa is hot, hot, hot! He chips up to 12 feet at 3, then walks in his third birdie putt of the day. All of a sudden, the two-time major winner – fifth in 2022, tenth last year – is up into a tie for second at -6! Meanwhile a spot of good fortune for Bryson DeChambeau at 2: he flays his drive towards the creek down the left, but catches a good lie on the pine needles and is able to force his ball out and over the back of the green, from where he’ll have a decent chance of getting up and down for birdie.

Bounceback birdie for Nicolai Hojgaard at 2. A fine up and down from the back of the par-five. The young Dane had been unfortunate not to hold the green at 1 with his approach, ending up shortsided, in an almost impossible situation he couldn’t wriggle out from. So that’ll improve his mood. He’s back to -4. Par meanwhile for Scottie Scheffler, who can’t get up and down from greenside sand. He remains -7.

Some unwelcome news from an English perspective. The 2016 champ Danny Willett, who finished yesterday with an ugly triple-bogey seven at 18, has continued his tumble down the standings with opening bogeys at 1 and 2. Out of the mix in three miserable holes. He’s +1. A stodgy start for the 2022 US Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick meanwhile: seven holes, six pars and a bogey at 3. He’s +1 too.

Another birdie for Collin Morikawa, who has the wind behind all right. This one at 2 takes him to -5. A birdie as well for his playing partner Cameron Davis. Meanwhile pars for Bryson DeChambeau and Max Homa at 1, and everyone’s up and running.

-7: Scheffler (1)
-6: Homa (1), DeChambeau (1)
-5: Morikawa (2)
-4: Fox (4), Davis (2)
-3: Aberg (3), Hojgaard (1)

Only three men have ever successfully defended the Masters – Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods – and Jon Rahm won’t be making it four this week. He’s looked rusty all week, a consequence of not playing much LIV golf, though today has been his best round so far: a 72. Yesterday’s eventful affair included one putt that ended 25 yards back down the fairway, plus another that took a sharp 90-degree turn and trundled off 30 feet left of the intended target. No such drama today, other than a bogey at 7, a birdie at 17, and an exasperated cry of “aw fuck” delivered with exquisite comic timing as an errant drive sailed towards trees at 18. He’s +5 after three rounds and he’ll be back. Meanwhile birdie for Ludvig Aberg at 2.

Scottie Scheffler has got short-game chops all right! Without too much fuss, he gently chips up from the swale, sending his ball across the green on an inexorable journey into the heart of the cup. Opening birdie! WOW. Hojgaard can’t get up and down from his tight spot, and he’s back to -3. The thin line between success and failure at Augusta National is writ large, right there. Back on the tee, the final pair will have heard the roars. Max Homa sends his tee shot into the trees down the left … nearly on the 9th, maybe? … while Bryson DeChambeau splits the fairway.

-7: Scheffler (1)
-6: Homa, DeChambeau
-4: Fox (4), Morkiawa (1)

It’s clearly possible to score out there today. It’s also clear that while possible, it’s not going to be easy, the ability to hold the increasingly dry, hard and fast greens coming at a premium. That’s illustrated by the approaches of Scheffler and Hojgaard at 1; the former lands softly on the back-left portion of the green, only for the ball to topple off down the bank to the left, the latter bump-and-running what looks like a perfectly weighted shot into the green, only for that to gently topple down the back. Short game chops ahoy!

An opening birdie for Collin Morikawa! The erstwhile PGA and Open champion took a while to warm up this week, but the momentum appears to be on his shoulder. Three birdies in the last six holes last night, and now he rattles in a 30-footer to start fast. He moves to -4 … as does Ryan Fox, who now makes it three birdies in three holes! With Scottie Scheffler and Nicolai Hojgaard having just clacked their opening drives down Tea Olive, this is beginning to bubble up nicely, and we’ve only just begun!

-6: Homa, DeChambeau, Scheffler
-4: Fox (3), Morikawa (1), Hojgaard
-3: Davis (1)
-2: Smith (4), Young (2), Aberg (1)
-1: Schauffele (7), Schenk (4), Fleetwood (2), Pavon (1)

Tiger continues to go backwards, and the dream of a record-equalling sixth win is surely over. For another year at least. He drives into the trees down the left of 7 and is forced to chip out, medicine-style. His third finds a deep bunker, from which he fails to get up and down. A double, and the great man is +4.

The most meaningful move so far has been made by Ryan Fox. The 37-year-old Kiwi led this tournament for a while on Thursday after the fastest of starts, five under through eight holes, but the back nine has cost him dearly on both days so far. He ended the first round with a 69, the second with 74 to go into the weekend at -1 overall. He’s opened today with birdies at 1 and 2, and he’s -3. There has been the odd shot picked up elsewhere, and those are best reflected by the medium of this leader board …

-6: Homa, DeChambeau, Scheffler
-4: Hojgaard
-3: Fox (2), Davis, Morikawa
-2: Smith (3), Young (1), Aberg (1)
-1: Schauffele (6), Schenk (3), Fleetwood (1), Pavon (1)
E: Cantlay (8), Glover (4), Reed (3), An (3)

With Luke List’s round having gone south, the best performer out there now is Chris Kirk. The 38-year-old from Tennessee has six wins on the PGA Tour, but no record to speak of in the majors, one tie for fifth at the 2022 PGA Championship the exception that proves the rule. But he’s going along very nicely today. A blemish-free scorecard so far, with birdies at 2, 8, 12 and now 15. Let’s hope our mentioning this won’t nix it for him like it did po’ Luke. Kirk is +1 overall.

Birdie for Rory McIlroy at 14. He sends his second from 150 yards to six feet, and in goes the putt. He moves to +3, but the semi-satisfied yet resigned look on his face is of a man who knows this is not going to happen for him this week.

A miserable end to the round for the aforementioned Luke List. The hottest of the early starters was four under for his round through 14, but his approach at 15 got wet, leading to a bogey, and he drove deep into the pines at 18, a mistake that cost another two shots. In with a round of 71 that promised so much more. He’s +5, and the only consolation is that he shares the very early clubhouse lead with Rickie Fowler and Hideki Matsuyama. That’s not really much of a consolation, is it.

A careless bogey at the par-three 6th for Tiger. His iron into the green looks good in the air, but topples off the back of the green. He elects to putt over the ridge rather than chip, and doesn’t get close. He can’t make the six-footer he leaves himself, and he’s +2 yet again. The par-threes costly for Woods this morning.

A fairly miserable run for Adam Hadwin. Bogeys at 6 and 9, doubles at 7 and 10, all of which more than outweighing a solitary birdie at 8. Further proof, should sports scientists require it, that time before a round at a major championship is better spent on the range than with your head stuck under the kitchen sink. He’s +10.

Bounceback birdie for Tiger Woods! He sends a glorious second at the difficult 5th pin high from 200 yards, and walks in the straight 20-foot birdie putt. Back to +1 in short order.

A horror start today by Eric Cole. The 35-year-old from Palm Springs is making his Masters debut this week, posting more-than-respectable opening rounds of 73 and 72. But he’s stumbled out of the traps today in the manner of hapless Spurs centre-back Micky van de Ven: bogeys at each of the first four holes. He tumbles down the standings to +5.

If there’s one player out there who’s overdue a major championship, it’s Xander Schauffele. The 30-year-old Californian tied second here in 2019 and third in 2021; he’s also got a tied-second on his Open CV, plus eight other top-ten finishes in the majors. An Olympic gold in his back pocket, mind, but still. Anyway, Schauffele did well to grind out 72s in both of his rounds so far, without bringing his best stuff, but there were signs he was beginning to hit his straps towards the end of yesterday. That’s been borne out by his start today: a birdie at 3 brings him up to -1, the first player to break into the top ten of the leader board today.

-6: Homa, DeChambeau, Scheffler
-4: Hojgaard
-3: Davis, Morikawa
-2: Aberg
-1: Schauffele (3), Pavon, Young, Fleetwood, Willett, Fox, An, Smith
E: Straka (2), Fitzpatrick (2), Schenk (1), Kitayama (1), Glover (1)

Tiger can’t afford many missteps. If any. He’s made one at the long par-three 4th, though. His tee shot only just makes it onto the front of the green, and he trundles a heavy-handed 45-foot putt six past. The one coming back is always missing on the high side, and he slips to +2. His playing partner Tyrrell Hatton drops a shot there too, finding the bunker to the left and then knifing out. After a positive early surge, he’s back to +1.

Rickie Fowler won the par-three contest this year. A lovely thing to have on your resumé, though of course it comes with a terrible cost: a historical guarantee that you’ll not be winning the gold medal and draping a green jacket around your shoulders. The two prizes are to date incompatible, and that’ll continue this year, but at least Fowler made the cut despite disappointing rounds of 76 and 74. He’s posted a much-better 71 today, as has the other superstar in the first group out today, the 2021 champion Hideki Matsuyama. They’re both +5 after their third day’s work.

If Tiger isn’t out of this yet, then neither is Tyrrell Hatton. Birdies at 1 and 3 for the 32-year-old from High Wycombe, and he rises to level par for the tournament. These two are going round together; it’s another par at 3 for Woods, who remains at +1.

A par-par opening to the third round for Tiger Woods. The five-time-winning living legend may be 48 years old now, and on a leg rebuilt to specifications, but at +1, just seven off the lead at the halfway mark, he’ll believe he can still win this. He wouldn’t bother turning up otherwise. But he does need a couple of low ones over the weekend, and that’s not the ideal start. Two decent birdie attempts go close but neither were from particularly makeable range. Meanwhile fair’s fair to Rory, who dinks a chip up delicately from the side of 10 to a couple of feet to scramble his par. He remains +4.

The pre-tournament second favourite Rory McIlroy has once again been a total non-event at the Masters. Yesterday’s birdie-free round of 77 took the career-slam-seeking superstar completely out of contention, and an opening bogey this morning looked to have set the mood. He steadied the ship at with birdie at 2 – astonishingly, his first at a par-five all week – before trading another bogey at 6 with birdie at 8. Finally, the par fives bearing fruit, but it’s too little, too late. He remains at +4, where he started the day, though having just sent his approach at 10 down the bank to the left of the green, he might not be there for too much longer.

There hasn’t been too much in the way of low scoring by the early starters today. One exception, though, shows there’s a score out there if you’re dialling them in. Luke List, the 39-year-old journeyman from Seattle, has only played in the Masters on two previous occasions. He tied for 33rd in 2005, and missed the cut two years ago. But he’s making a few waves today. Starting out with a birdie, he sent his second at 2 from 227 yards to ten feet, then made the eagle putt. Though there were subsequent bogeys at 6 and 7, he’s made three further birdies, at 8, 13 and now 14, and he’s four under for his round so far. That’s the best performance of the morning, and one that’s whisked him up the standings to +2.

The weather. It’s going to be sunny all weekend. Pretty warm today, positively balmy tomorrow. There’s still a little wind blowing around, but nothing like the hoolie of yesterday afternoon. So scoring should be a lot better … although with the sun out and the wind drying everything, the greens won’t be as receptive as they were on Thursday, so more of a job of work to hold.

Here we go, then.