Padraig Harrington recovered well after making a quadruple-bogey 9 at the second hole on Saturday.
Apr. 11, 2009
By PGATOUR.COM Staff
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Who gets an A and who doesn't? Now that the third round is over at Augusta National, here are our grades in various categories:
• THE MASTERS: Click here for complete coverage of the 2009 Masters
| 2009 Masters: Third-round grades |
| Steve Stricker |
Grade: A-plus |
| It's no surprise, really, that Stricker made a charge on moving day. Over his career, the man from Wisconsin has finished in the top-10 at majors on eight occasions. However, he's never played great at the Masters, save the 2001 tournament when he tied for 10th. Aside from that, in eight Masters starts, he's missed the cut five times. But Saturday was different. Stricker fired a 4-under 68 to soar up the leaderboard and at 7 under, he'll have an outside chance to win on Sunday. |
| Jim Furyk |
Grade: A-plus |
| He hasn't won a tournament since the end of the 2007 season, but Jim Furyk is always knocking on the door. The 2003 U.S. Open champion matched Stricker with a 4-under 68 of his own on Saturday, thanks largely to three consecutive birdies on the back nine, beginning on No. 13. His lone blemish was a bogey on No. 17. Even still, at 8 under Furyk has a chance in the final round. |
| International Players |
Grade: A |
| Led by 2007 U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera, who is tied for the 54-hole lead at 11 under, South Africa's Rory Sabbatini (tied for sixth), England's Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter (tied for 10th) and Canada's Stephen Ames were all under par in the third round. Add to that another South African -- Tim Clark (even par on Saturday and in ninth place) -- and the International players enjoyed a fine day at Augusta National. |
| Tiger Woods on Nos. 2-18 |
Grade: A |
| After the double bogey start, Tiger buckled down and did what everyone expected -- pulled himself together, didn't let the rough start get him down and grinded out a 2-under 70. It's going to take great play and a lot of help for Tiger to win on Sunday, but he didn't entirely lose it on Saturday. |
| The 36-hole co-leaders |
Grades: A and B-plus |
| Let's start with Kenny Perry, who gets the A. Perry fired a 2-under 70 and at 11 under, he'll be tied for the lead with Angel Cabrera with 18 holes to play. Steady round for Perry. Campbell, on the other hand, still can't figure out the back nine. He hasn't made a bogey on the front nine all week, but has made six bogeys and a double bogey on the back nine. On Saturday, he finished double bogey, birdie, bogey and will begin the final round trailing by two shots at 9 under. |
| Defending champ |
Grade: B-plus |
| Trevor Immelman wasn't sensational on Saturday, but he wasn't terrible either. He canceled out three bogeys with three birdies. It won't be a successful title defense for Immelman -- he's 1 over for the tournament -- but it's certainly been a respectable one to this point. |
| Padraig Harrington |
Grade: B-minus |
| When the man who won the last two majors, and three of the last six, shoots an over-par round on moving day, you shouldn't expect to see a passing mark. However, Padraig Harrington is the exception to that rule. On the par-5 second hole, Harrington took a quadruple-bogey 9. Four over right out of the gate. The Paddy Slam won't be happening, at least for now, but credit Harrington for pulling it together and turning in a 1-over 73 despite the horrible start. |
| Tiger Woods on No. 1 |
Grade: D |
| It surely wasn't the start Tiger Woods was looking for, as he started the third round trailing be seven shots. On the very first hole of the day, Woods found trouble off the tee, was forced to pitch back into the fairway, was on the green in three and then three-putted for a double bogey. |
| Miguel Angel Jimenez |
Grade: D |
| What looked to be a promising round for the Spaniard quickly fell apart. Jimenez had birdies on two of his first four holes and had his name on the first page of the leaderboard. After that, he plummeted with three bogeys and two double bogeys to shoot a 6-over 78. Most of the damage was done on the back nine, where he shot a 7-over 43 and played the last four holes in 4-over par. |
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