It’s Sunday at The Masters and nerves are certainly showing in the late afternoon groups at Augusta National Golf Club. Third-round leader Peter Hanson has dropped two shots through the first three holes, leading off with a bogey on the first hole and dropping another at the relatively easy and shorter third hole. But his struggles have certainly been overshadowed by the adventures of his playing partner.
Masters Leaderboard: Phil Mickelson Triple Bogeys No. 4, Louis Oosthuizen Leads By 2
Phil Mickelson was unable to take advantage of Hanson’s early struggles, missing a birdie opportunity at No. 3. Then, at the par-3 4th hole, Mickelson completely missed an attempted fade, with the ball rocketing off the grandstand and into the thick brush left of the green.
With his swing badly obstructed by the shrubs, he tried to knock it out right-handed and barely moved the ball. On his third shot, he went right-handed again and finally got the ball within range of the green, but then left it short in bunker on his fourth shot. When it was all over, Mickelson dropped three shots with a triple-bogey to fall back to 5-under. At right is an animated GIF of Mickelson’s second right-handed attempt.
Louis Oosthuizen, riding the momentum from his incredible double eagle at No. 2, took full advantage of the struggles in the last group and leads at 9-under through four holes. With the final group coming back to the pack, Bubba Watson has put himself in contention with two birdies through the first five holes. He’s now in second place at 7-under, just two shots back of Oosthuizen.
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