Perry and Cabrera Leading the Masters After Round Three

Kenny Perry earned a share of the lead with a second round 67 and maintained that position with a two-under par 70 on Saturday. However his co-leader changed from Chad Campbell who stumbled getting to the clubhouse with a 72 to Angel Cabrera who shot 69.

Though movement was tight at the top on moving day 68s by Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker earned them fourth and fifth place respectively and a chance to win the 2009 Masters come Sunday afternoon at Augusta National.

When asked what winning a green jacket would mean to him Kenny Perry responded: “I don’t want to talk about.  I'm not going to answer that until it actually happens. I don't want to look there, because I just don't want to go there, because to me, I've got to stay in the moment.

"I've got to stay ready. This golf course is very difficult and very demanding. If I have the opportunity to get Trevor to put that jacket on me, I'll answer that question Sunday night.”

Unlike the Ryder Cup his dad is not here in Augusta to cheer him on. He is at home with Kenny’s very ill mother. “Dad has always said, "You need to win that green jacket." He always calls me and tells me.” Kenny did joke about a special upcoming event that he needs to dress properly for.

“We are the Grand Marshals of the Kentucky Derby. We will be in the parade. It's just going to be a fun week with Dad and me. A lot of waving and hand-shaking. Hopefully I can wear the green jacket while I'm doing all that.”

Perry in his ninth Masters will be utilizing a conservative strategy as he makes his way around Augusta National in round four on Sunday. “A hole like 16 today was a perfect example.

"It was 174 into the wind. You could try to hit a six-iron back there and try to go and hit it close, but I chose to hit the seven-iron into the hill, kill it and have the 40-footer up the hump there.

"I think if you get too aggressive here, it will kill you. You have to somehow find the happy medium. You have to know when to be patient, when to play away from the tough pins, and then go get the pins you think you can make birdies on the par fives. It's just hard to shoot a low score out here. It's just not going to happen.”

Had they been Ryder Cup teammates again like at Valhalla Perry may have offered some advice to his good friend Chad Campbell who double bogeyed the 16th hole. “I felt sorry for him on 16 when he hit it in that back-right bunker because I knew he was not going to have any fun on that hole.”

Sorrow notwithstanding the Texan Campbell wishes only the best for his buddy from Kentucky. “I'd like to win, but if I don't win, I'd love to see him win. We pull for each other. He wouldn't wish anything bad upon me and I wouldn't do it on him, either. He's a great guy, and a great player, and he's definitely proven that the last couple of years.”

Maybe their friendship goes all the way back to Kentucky-born Davy Crockett and The Alamo in Texas.

Perry had four birdies and two bogeys while Campbell had three birdies and one bogey. The only exception to their two rounds was Campbell’s double bogey on No. 16 where he hit six-iron into the back right bunker.

He was going to hit either the perfect sand shot or leave it in the bunker. Leave it in the bunker he did and failed to get it up-and-down a second time barely missing a makeable bogey putt from inside 10 feet.

While Perry and Campbell battled it out in the final group, Angel Cabrera more than offset two bogeys of his own with five birdies. He made up that one stroke on the second round co-leader Perry to tie him for the lead going into Sunday.

When asked about the lack of a Top-10 in the World Ranking player on the leader board Cabrera shrugged off the question. “These tournaments are very special and are for the best, so whoever is there on top on the leader board, I'm sure he deserves to be there and he's a very good competitor.”

Cabrera, not yet 40 years of age, was asked when he won the 2007 US Open if he had a sports psychologist. He responded at the time that some people use a sports psychologist and I smoke.

He revealed today that “now I don't have a sports psychologist and I don't smoke. I try to just enjoy my golf during the round and that's it. Now I have this position, and I have to try to make the most of it.”

Even after the double bogey on No. 16 Campbell came back to finish birdie-bogey and is only two strokes back of the co-leaders. “(I am) looking forward to tomorrow. Still got a great opportunity to win this golf tournament, and you know, hopefully I can come out and do it.”

Jim Furyk, like Cabrera with a US Open to his name back in 2003 at Olympia Fields outside of Chicago is back in the hunt with his 68 after a 74 on Thursday. He had five birdies and was bogey free until a bogey at No. 17. “Today I felt more in control. I felt pretty good with my golf swing. You know, left a couple of putts out there, but you always do here at Augusta.”

Though winless since his 2007 Canadian Open victory Furyk is optimistic and confident in his approach to Sunday’s final round.

“You know that you're in for a grind, you're in for a tough test and you're going to have to be very patient, and know that things are not always going to go your way and you're going to have to gut it out and eventually execute some good golf shots and knock in some putts.”

Cabrera the Argentinean must feel like he is surrounded with American Ryder Cup champions. He is tied with Perry with Campbell two strokes back and Furyk one more stroke back. But there is more with Steve Stricker one more stroke back.

Four strokes is not that much to make up on the Sunday of a Major Championship especially if he can play bogey free on Sunday like he did on Saturday.

The question mark for Sunday is how difficult will the course be set up with respect to hole locations. The weather is forecasted to remain mostly sunny skies with temperatures in the 70s and winds 10-15 mph. How will the weather impact who wins the Masters?

The direction from which the wind comes may change yet again and impact the length of the course and which holes will play the most difficult. Perry is hoping for a gentle breeze out of the south “I'm not much on northwest wind.

Today we had a northwest wind. The first two days, we had south and southwest winds. I hope the wind turns back around from the south. To me the golf course plays better; it's easier to score.”

The forecast is for winds out of the NE shifting to the south. Maybe this is a sign that things will go Perry’s way on Sunday at Augusta National.

It was an east wind that brought Mary Poppins to No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane and into the Banks' household in London. Maybe an east wind will bring Kenny Perry that coveted green jacket come late Sunday afternoon that will complete the transition from good golfer to Ryder Cup Champion to Masters Champion.  

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer. He follows the PGA TOUR volunteering for the tournaments and working part time for NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and The Golf Channel.

He resides in Jacksonville Beach, FL near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. He enjoys pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it. He can be reached through his website www.MrHickoryGolf.net or by e-mailing him to [e-mail]