Notebook: Saturday's round is third-toughest ever

The third-round scoring average was the highest on a Saturday at Augusta National since 1956. Plus, Stuart Appleby has an excellent record as a closer, only one player managed to string together three birdies on Saturday, and more.  

By Joe Chemycz, PGA TOUR Staff

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Saturday's scoring average was 77.35, making it the third-toughest all time at the Masters. The two higher third-round averages were 78.565 in 1956, and 77.580 in 1952.

That 1956 third round saw no players manage to break par, and only three players matched the par of 72. The front nine played 39.219 and the back nine played 39.346. The par-5 second hole was the only hole that day to have a below-par scoring average (4.782). The 220-yard, par-3 third hole gave up no birdies that day.

Looking ahead to Sunday's final round of the Masters, the winner has come out of the final pairing in each of the last 16 years. The last time it didn't happen was in 1990, when Nick Faldo was in the second-to-last group (in third place). Sunday's final pairing will feature leader Stuart Appleby and Tiger Woods.

Stuart Appleby will try to become the first Australian to win the Masters. Aussies have claimed at least one win in the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship but never at Augusta National.

Third-round leaders/co-leaders have done well at Augusta National. In the previous 70 years, the leader/co-leader has gone on to win 40 times (57.14%).

Stuart Appleby holds a one-stroke lead after 54 holes. Appleby's 218 total is 2-over par, the highest score by a third-round leader in Masters history. The highest score at this point had been even-par 216, set by Jack Nicklaus and Tommy Jacobs in 1966.

This is the sixth time in Stuart Appleby's PGA TOUR career that he has held a 54-hole lead. He has finished second once and won four times: at the 1997 Honda Classic, the 2004 Mercedes Championship, the 2006 Mercedes Championship, and the 2006 Shell Houston Open.

This is Stuart Appleby's 11th start in the Masters. He has made the cut six times. His best finish here is a T19 in 2006. Appleby has posted only one sub-70 score at Augusta National -- a 3-under 69 in last year's opening round.

The largest 54-hole comeback by a Masters champion is eight strokes by Jack Burke in 1956. Burke shot a final-round 71 to beat Ken Venturi by one stroke. Gary Player came from seven strokes back to win in 1978.

While you don't necessarily have to be leading the tournament at 54 holes to win, you can't be too far off the pace. In 70 years, the winner status after 54 holes has been no worse than tied for fifth place only five times.

Retief Goosen posted a 2-under-par 70 on Saturday for the low round of the day. The last time that the best score of the day wasn't below 70 was in 1999's final round. David Duval shot a 2-under 70 for the low score. The last time it happened in the third round of the Masters was in 1966, when Harold Henning and Tommy Jacobs each shot a 70.

Four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods posted bogeys on the final two holes for the second straight day. Woods still managed an even-par 72, which got him into the final pairing on Sunday with 54-hole leader Stuart Appleby. Woods is 3 over par and one back of Appleby.

Tiger Woods has won 12 major titles in his career and each time he did by being in front after 54 holes. He has never come from behind to win a major. He has come from behind 15 times to win on the PGA TOUR, however.

Tiger Woods has failed to break par in any of the first three rounds this week. This is the second time in Woods' Masters career that he has failed to break par in any of the first three days. The only other time it happened was in 1995, when the still-amateur Woods shot 72-72-77 to open. Woods also had three consecutive rounds at par-or above in 1999-2000. His final round in 1999 was a 75 and his opening two rounds in 2000 were 75-72.

Birdie runs are fairly common on the PGA TOUR, but not this week. No player was able string together more than two in a row on Thursday. On Friday, three players were able to run off streaks of three in a row, and on Saturday only Stuart Appleby was able to string together three in a row (on holes 2, 3 and 4).

Putting continues to be a key on the greens at Augusta National this week. Through 54 holes, only Dean Wilson, David Howell and David Toms have yet to have a single three-putt green.