Masters 2013: Brandt Snedeker and Angel Cabrera lead at Augusta

American Brandt Snedeker and Argentina's former champion Angel Cabrera take a one-shot lead into the final round of the 77th Masters.

The pair finished seven under par to lead Australian Adam Scott by one after the trio all shot 69 on a sunny Saturday at Augusta.

Australian duo Marc Leishman (72) and Jason Day (73), who bogeyed the last two holes, finished two strokes behind, with American Matt Kuchar (69) three off the lead.

Tiger Woods carded 70 to finish four shots adrift after he was retrospectively penalised two strokes for an illegal drop on the 15th on Friday. The four-time champion escaped disqualification after Masters officials originally deemed the drop legal.

When Woods, chasing a 15th major title, first suggested in a post-round interview he had not dropped the ball in the right place, Augusta rules chiefs reviewed the incident.

They then changed their minds, handing him a two-shot penalty, but invoked a recent ruling to waive the disqualification that used to follow the signing of an incorrect scorecard.

"I'm right there in the ball game," said Woods, who has never won a major when trailing going into the final day. "As of right now I'm four back with a great shot to win this championship."

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, the world number two, slumped to a seven-over 79, coming home in 42, to finish five over.

Lee Westwood was the leading Briton after a 73 left him in a group on two under, while South African Tim Clark (67) finished alongside Woods at three under.

"It's a 73 that could have been a 70, but I still feel like I'm going to have a chance," said Westwood, who is still seeking a maiden major at the 60th attempt. The 39-year-old was second at Augusta in 2010 and third in 2012.

Nick Faldo was the last Briton to win at Augusta when he overcame a six-shot final-round deficit on Greg Norman in 1996.

Snedeker, who spent five weeks out with a rib injury earlier in the season, shot 12 pars in a row before picking up shots at 13, 15 and 16.

The 32-year-old, who scooped the $10m FedEx Cup last season, played in the final group in 2008 but took a closing 77 to finish tied third behind Trevor Immelman.

Snedeker also finished third in last year's Open after leading at the halfway point with the tournament's joint-lowest 36-hole total.

"I've spent 32 years of my life getting ready for tomorrow and I am 100% sure that I'm ready to handle it, no matter what happens," said Snedeker. "I'm going to be disappointed if I don't win, period."

Cabrera, the 2009 Masters champion, birdied the 16th and 18th to grab a share of the lead. The 43-year-old, who won the US Open in 2007, finished seventh at Augusta in 2011.

"In 2009, I was nervous, anxious," said Cabrera. "But now I'm very comfortable. I know what I've got to do to be able to get the win."

Scott, Leishman and Day are bidding to become the first Australian to win the Masters and the first from down under to win a major since Geoff Ogilvy clinched the 2006 US Open.

Thirty-two-year-old Scott, joint Masters runner-up with Day in 2011, picked up three shots in his last six holes to keep alive his bid to win a first major title.

Scott led last year's Open at Royal Lytham by four shots with four holes left but finished with four bogeys to hand the title to Ernie Els.

"If I'm in the same position I was in at the Open last year, then I'm obviously playing an incredible round and I'll just be trying to finish the job," said Scott.

Leishman maintained his challenge after sharing the lead for the first two rounds in only his second Masters, while Day fell back late on after 12 straight pars to start.

Germany's two-time champion Bernhard Langer, 55, also finished two under alongside Westwood and Americans Steve Stricker, Rickie Fowler and Jim Furyk.

But 53-year-old Fred Couples, the 1992 champion who shared the halfway lead, fell back with a 77 to finish level par.

England's Justin Rose was also level par after a third-round 75, while countryman Luke Donald shot the same score to finish two over.

Three-time champion Phil Mickelson carded a 77 for eight over overall, while 14-year-old Chinese amateur Guan Tianlang also carded a 77 to finish nine over.

Nineteen of the last 22 Masters winners have come from the final group.

The biggest comeback going into final round is eight shots by Jack Burke in 1956, while Gary Player carded the best finishing round by a champion, a 64, to win in 1978.

Clubhouse scores following the third round