Third round is memorable for the carnage it caused

Chapped by chilling winds and increasingly antagonistic, Augusta National incessantly rebuffed the scoring entreaties of golf's glitterati during an astonishing third round in the 71st Masters. In short, Black Saturday was a round for the record books.

By Dave Shedloski, PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The poet e.e. cummings wrote, "the world laughs in flowers." On a bedeviling and blustery Saturday, at the former tree nursery that has become Augusta National Golf Club, the famed flowering trees and shrubs were muted while the rest of the historic old grounds convulsed in spasms of ridicule.

Augusta National, chapped by chilling winds and increasingly antagonistic as the sun surrendered the skyline, incessantly rebuffed the scoring entreaties of golf's glitterati during an astonishing third round in the 71st Masters Tournament. Players encountered no remnants of solace or sanctuary, only stultifying frustration. All of their technology, all of their refined technique and enhanced muscle tone proved ineffective against a golf course that had seldom been more uncompromising.

"I've never seen it play harder," said four-time champion Tiger Woods, echoing the assessment of many of his peers and backed by cold statistics.

The field scoring average was 77.350, more than five strokes over par, constituting the fifth-highest cumulative scoring effort since World War II and the third-highest ever for the third round. It's easily the hardest Masters round since the club made its greens more racy by installing bentgrass in 1981.

The players' cumulative scoring average for 54 holes has bloated to 76.250, putting this year's Masters on pace to be the second hardest in history following the 1956 edition when the field averaged 77.183 and Jack Burke rallied from eight strokes back to capture the green jacket with a 1-over 289 aggregate total, the highest score ever for a winner. Bogeys outnumber birdies by more than a 2-to-1 margin: 1226-545. Again, only the '56 edition witnessed greater carnage.

Stuart Appleby's 2-over 218 is the highest 54-hole total to lead the Masters. Meanwhile, second-round co-leaders Brett Wetterich and Tim Clark shot a combined 19 over par, carding 83 and 80, respectively.

Almost half as many scores of double bogey and higher (51) were recorded Saturday compared to birdies (107). The high ringer score (or worst-ball score) would make a 30-handicapper cringe: 56-60--116, or 44 over par.

Turbulent and arid atmosphere was primarily responsible for transforming Augusta National from favored playground to a pugilistic torture chamber. Winds gusting up to 23 miles per hour suppressed daytime temperatures that never emerged from the 40s. It was so cold that Woods donned his rain pants for extra insulation and Vijay Singh shielded himself from the wind with his umbrella. Spectators invaded the merchandise shop to buy men's socks -- for their hands.

Combine that with negligible humidity and a series of rear hole locations perched on mounds that proved nettlesome, and by the time the leaders teed off at 3:00 p.m. the bulked-up 7,445-yard layout had become utterly brittle and intractable.

Woe seemed inevitable. "Whoa" was a standard plea as the 60 players who ventured into the vortex watched their approach shots hop, skip and jump over the greens.

"It was like trying to land a golf ball on your driveway, but your driveway has mounds on them, and they stick the pins near the mounds," Rich Beem said after a carefully constructed 75. "The golf course literally gets more interesting by the minute."

And that it did.

The only place to make up ground was in the clubhouse.

Retief Goosen, who made the cut on the number and was tied for 46th when the round began, cobbled together an early 2-under-par 70 -- best round of the day and the only score under par -- to move into the top 25. That was at 2:00 p.m. By sunset, his 6-over 222 total was good for a share of eighth place. Defending champion Phil Mickelson also is eighth despite a 73 that, at the time he put his signature on it, left him eight behind the leaders.

Then there is Woods, who bogeyed the final two holes to match par 72, which was dissatisfying in the immediate aftermath but quickly radiated a warmth that undoubtedly made him feel better and put serious heat on his competition. He'll pull into Magnolia Lane Sunday as a member of the final pairing for the fifth time, joining Appleby. Woods won the green jacket on the previous four occasions.

Black Saturday came to a close with 11 of the top 18 players delivering a bogey or worse on the home hole. For the first time in Masters history, no player stands under par with 18 holes remaining.

No one would say it was unfair. Appleby, obviously in a state of denial or delirium, said of the course, "it's a joy to play, finally."

Stewart Cink put a fine point on the fine line between success and failure. "Really good golf isn't enough on a day like this," he said. "You have to hit really, really good shots. The quality of your shots has to be exceptional -- every one of them. And even if you're razor sharp, you're still closing your eyes and hoping for the best."

Hoping against hope, really, knowing that the golf course is going to get the last laugh.