Summary

  • -6 Rose (18), Garcia (18)

  • -5 Fowler (18); -4 Spieth (18), Moore (18), Hoffman (18)

  • -3 Scott (18); -2 Schwartzel (18)

  • Selected: -1 Westwood (18), Pieters (18); Level Casey (18), McIlroy (18), Rahm (18), McGirt (18);

  • +1 Couples (18); +2 Mickelson; +3 Day (18)

  1. Postpublished at 22:07 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Rahm (-3)

    No, no, no. Jon Rahm has his Jordan Spieth moment on 12. 

    Plonk! His tee shot is swimming. 

    Thronk! His third after a drop bounds off the back of the green into bother.

    Donk! The 22-year-old's club is angrily slung into the ground. 

    What's Spanish for fuming?

  2. Postpublished at 22:05 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Westwood (-1)

    Lee Westwood is on course to finish the round under par having begun it three over. He hasn't allowed bogies at three and seven to affect him, picking up shots at four, five and six, and then 13, 15 and finally 17. Off he goes to the last and and on the cusp of the top 10.

  3. Birdie - bogeypublished at 22:02 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Hoffman (-6 after 9) Garcia (-4 after 9)

    Charley Hoffman nailed his approach into nine. He pumped it down the throat of the flag and it plugged, spin-free, some five feet away. He stands over the ball, his shadow covers the hole and the ball disappears into the darkness and underground.

    Leader.

    Sergio Garcia gets the wobbles and three putts. He wipes his nose after the second one. It's body language of frustration.

  4. Postpublished at 22:02 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Fowler (-4)

    Ah. Think this is commonly known as 'the commentator's curse'. Rickie Fowler tugs his second on the 10th, the ball bounding left. "Oh my," he says. Quite.

    Luckily someone's picnic bag stops his ball trundling any further. Hope the sarnies aren't damaged.

    No such concerns for playing partner Thomas Pieters, however. He's on the dancefloor.

  5. Postpublished at 21:59 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Fowler (-4)

    Rickie Fowler on the 10th tee, fairway wood in hand. A little wiggle then...thwack. Ball meets fairway. 

    Birdie-birdie is how he has scored on this long par-four this week. On course for another, one would suggest.

  6. Birdiepublished at 21:58 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Rose (-2 after 12)

    Peter Alliss
    BBC Sport commentator at Augusta

    A bit of a mixed bag from Justin today but still in the hunt.

    Rose converts his excellent tee shot on 12, rolling in from four feet.

  7. Postpublished at 21:55 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Rose (-1 after 11)

    Cracking leaderboard - Garcia, Spieth, Scott and don;t discount Justin Rose. He looks like he will be back to two under in a moment after taking aim at the pin on 12. Over the water, over the bunker, and that's what I'm talking about.

  8. Postpublished at 21:55 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Spieth (-3)

    Jordan Spieth goes right into the pine needles off the tee at the par-five 13. Tricky stuff. "Go ball, drop softly" he pleads after striking his next shot. It is good. It is very good. On the green and eyeing another gain on the leaders. 

  9. Postpublished at 21:54 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    McIlroy (level after 12)

    Rory McIlroy is booming the ball, his obvious weight regime paying dividends off the tee but from the fairway he's heavy on his approach to 13. It takes eagle out of the question on this par five drag. Can he bring birdie into the conversation? Unlikely, this time he's too soft with his effort.

  10. Joint leaderspublished at 21:50 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Garcia (-5 after 8) Hoffman (-5 after 8)

    Sergio Garcia and Charley Hoffman walk off the par-five eighth, one of them with a par, one a birdie.

    It's Garcia who has got the bounty. He found the green in two, leaving 45ft or so and two putted.

    One wonders if either is looking at the leaderboard and seeing the looming Jordan-Spieth-shaped shadow.

  11. 'Gritty Spieth'published at 21:47 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Shaun Micheel
    2003 US PGA Championship winner, BBC Radio 5 live

    If Jordan Spieth goes on and loses this tournament he will look at the 15th on the first day. But if he wins he will look at the three-under he shot yesterday. That was a gritty performance.

  12. Putt for doughpublished at 21:46 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Peter Alliss
    BBC Sport commentator at Augusta

    If they couldn't putt these fellas, they'd hurdle the 70s and go straight into the 80s.

  13. Postpublished at 21:46 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Spieth (-3)

    Tricky putt? What tricky putt? Jordan Spieth has smoke coming out of his short stick. It is like a sat nav. Another destination reached, this time from 10 feet.

  14. Spieth on 12published at 21:44 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Spieth (-3)

    Jordan Spieth converts his par on the 11th, now he is walking on to the 12th tee. Goodness me, what's going through his mind. Probably nothing negative. He's mentally tough this kid.

    "Sit down!" he urges. Better long than short on this iconic par-three. Rae's Creek is ready and waiting after all. 

    The ball lands in the semi-rough on the back. "That is a really easy easy shot," Spieth moans.

    He comes back on...not enough beef. Tricky par putt...

  15. Birdiepublished at 21:43 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Moore (-3 after 9) McGirt (-3 after 9)

    Ryan Moore is beginning to find a little something. The man who says he started playing golf "as soon as I could walk" barely shows a flicker of emotion on the ninth when he drops a 37ft snake into the cup. He will turn at three under for the tournament.

    Ryan MooreImage source, Getty Images
  16. Postpublished at 21:43 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Casey (level), Dufner (-1)

    A bogey on the par-four last means England's Paul Casey has finished level par for the day. A disappointing finish but he will be happy to have moved from three-over.

    Meanwhile, America's Jason Dufner is one-under following a run of five birdies in seven holes. He has found the water at 15 though.

  17. Birdie for Fowlerpublished at 21:41 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Fowler (-4)

    All the way! Rickie Fowler struts after his ball as it trundles towards home on the eighth. Putter starts moving skywards, eventually raising to the sky. Birdie for the American world number eight.

    Level pegging for the day, back to four under and a shot off the lead.

  18. Postpublished at 21:38 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Pieters, Fowler (-3)

    You know things aren't quite going to plan when you see a player slam their club into the bag, leaving their caddie looking slightly sheepish.

    Thomas Pieters does exactly that when he knocks a chip way past the flag on the eighth green. Par saved. Phew.

  19. Postpublished at 21:37 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    Hoffman (-5 after 7)

    Peter Alliss
    BBC Sport commentator at Augusta

    "He's hitting the ball beautifully."

    Charley Hoffman finds the eighth fairway. Par five. Big chance.

  20. Birdie Rory!published at 21:36 British Summer Time 8 April 2017

    McIlroy (level after 12)

    Yes Rory, that is the stuff. That's technology the kids of today like.

    I had you written off but when you start putting in from the fringe on the 12th green I'm happy to eat my thoughts. Cracking birdie on a menacing par-three hole.