Rory McIlroy Makes Masters History with 6 Consecutive 3s to Begin 3rd Round

Rory McIlroy made Masters history Saturday as the first golfer to ever begin his round by carding five consecutive threes, according to the PGA Tour.

McIlroy extended his record to six straight threes on the par-three sixth by nailing a lengthy par putt. The streak finally came to an end on the par-four seventh when McIlroy settled for a par.

McIlroy started his third round with a birdie on the par-four first, followed by a chip-in eagle on the par-five second to take the solo lead at nine-under:

The Northern Irishman then birdied the par-four third, parred the par-three fourth and birdied the par-four fifth:

Entering the sixth hole, McIlroy held a three-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau at 11-under.

Entering play on Saturday, McIlroy was two shots off the lead of Justin Rose, who was eight-under par through two rounds.

After shooting a pedestrian, even-par 72 in the first round, McIlroy bounced back with a six-under 66 in the second round, and his excellent play carried over to the start of the third round.

Then 35-year-old McIlroy is a four-time major champion, and while he has been among the best golfers in the world for many years, he has not won a major since 2014.

The Masters is the only major title missing from McIlroy's résumé, although he has come close to securing the green jacket on numerous occasions, including a second-place finish in 2022.

Back in 2011, McIlroy held a four-shot lead at the Masters through 54 holes, but his play fell apart in the fourth round, as he carded an eight-over 80 and had to settle for a tie for 15th.

Although McIlroy won four majors after that, the Masters collapse is a narrative that has followed him throughout his career.

McIlroy made some big moves on the front nine Saturday to put himself in ideal position to potentially win the Masters on Sunday, which would go a long way toward overshadowing what happened in 2011.