Rory McIlroy makes Masters history, cards six straight 3s in blazing-hot start Saturday at Augusta National

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Hold onto everything you’ve got, Rory McIlroy has charged into the lead on Saturday at the Masters Tournament and did so in historic fashion.

McIlroy, who began the day two shots back of Justin Rose, carded six consecutive 3s to begin his third round to race out to a lead of his own.

McIlroy is the first player in Masters history to start 3-3-3-3-3-3.

McIlroy smashed his opening tee shot over the fairway bunker that hugs the inside of the dogleg left par-4. The ball rolled out to 371 yards, leaving just 104 yards into the green. McIlroy hit a controlled wedge to 10 feet and holed the putt for birdie.

McIlroy hit another booming drive on the second hole, again carrying the fairway bunker and rolling out 369 yards. McIlroy hit his approach into the par-5 over the green, but judged the delicate chip perfectly, letting it slowly trickle over a slope and into the hole for an eagle.

The theater was far from over. McIlroy took advantage of the short par-4 third, hitting his drive within 35 feet and skipping a chip onto the elevated green, 7 feet from the pin. McIlroy walked the putt in for birdie to become just the sixth player to start 4-under through three holes on the first nine.

After a par on the difficult 247-yard par-3, McIlroy made another birdie at the treacherous par-4 fifth. Playing from the fairway off the tee, McIlroy’s approach carried a shelf on the green where the pin sat, rolling out 18 feet past. Like the others before, McIlroy drained the putt. At the time, he was the first player to card five straight 3s to begin a round, a mark he bettered on the next hole.

McIlroy found the green on the par-3 sixth but ran his birdie putt well by the hole. What could’ve stifled his momentum only propelled him further as he buried the 9-foot comebacker to stay bogey-free and 5-under on the day.

The run of 3s came to an end at the par-4 seventh hole but the fireworks continued. After an errant drive that pinballed around the right pines off the edge of the fairway, McIlroy sent a wedge for his second shot sky-high over the trees to just off the edge of the green where he got up-and-down to save par.

It was the perfect start to what McIlroy hopes will be a crowning-achievement weekend. Despite a bogey at the par-5 eighth and a short missed birdie putt at the ninth, McIlroy held the lead at the turn on Moving Day and only needs a Masters victory to complete the career Grand Slam.

He’s in the middle of his best chance ever to get it done.