Smith Sets Up Final-Round Showdown with Scheffler

Augusta, Georgia, United States: Australian Cameron Smith will face-off with American world number one Scottie Scheffler in what promises to be an intriguing battle of wills in the final round of the 86th Masters Tournament.

Smith, a two-time former Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) contestant, defied cold and windy conditions at Augusta National on Saturday to post a third round of four-under-par 68.

It was the best return of the day and gave Smith a 54-hole total of six-under 210, three strokes behind pace-setting Scheffler, who is seeking a fourth win in six PGA Tour starts.

Smith and Scheffler, who will play together in the final pairing on Sunday, are both in pursuit of their maiden Major championships.

Joint runner-up in the 2020 Masters and triumphant at last month’s Players Championship, 28-year-old Smith said third-round conditions were among the most difficult he’s encountered. He said: “I had hand warmers all day, but I don’t think they helped, to be honest. It was brutal.”

So brutal that only seven players are in red figures heading into the final round with Korean Im Sung-jae alone in third place (212) followed by Ireland’s Shane Lowry and South African Charl Schwartzel (equal fourth, 214) and American Justin Thomas and Canadian Corey Conners (equal sixth, 215).

Smith’s round included six birdies against two bogeys. The world number six said: “I believe in just looking at what you need to do. So, the goal today was to keep making birdies. Scottie was making birdies, so I was just trying to keep up.

“I’m going to have to go out there tomorrow and play really good golf again, probably similar to today. Hopefully everything just falls into place. I can’t control what anyone else is going to do tomorrow. Just go out there and really focus on myself.”

Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who started the day in tied second place alongside Im, dropped out of contention following a 77. The two-time AAC winner is tied for 14th on 218, one stroke ahead of Korean Kim Si-woo, whose 73 was highlighted by a curling 20-foot eagle putt on the par-five second.

Other ex-AAC participants Min Woo Lee (220) and Cameron Davis (227), both of Australia, are joint 26th and 51st respectively.

Lee said: “The weather hasn’t been this cold and then all of a sudden it turns into a Scottish type of weather. It actually kind of helped because on a normal day the ball is going further because you’re jacked up. Then, with the coldness, it kind of evened out. It was pretty good throughout the round, and last three, four holes it got real cold and windy.”