First major title beckons Scottie Scheffler heading into final round of Masters

Scottie Scheffler will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the 86th Masters as he bids to cement his position as world number one with a first major title.

Scheffler was the sixth player in tournament history to hold a five-shot lead at the halfway stage, with four of the previous five going on to claim the green jacket at Augusta National.

The 25-year-old American looked odds on to make it five out of six as he extended his lead to six shots after eight holes and was still five ahead with five holes to play, but a late stumble at least partially opened the door for the chasing pack.

Bogeys on the 14th and 15th saw Scheffler’s lead cut to three strokes and although he responded superbly to birdie the 17th, an errant drive into the trees on the 18th led to a closing bogey.

A third round of 71 gave Scheffler a nine-under-par total of 207, with Australia’s Cameron Smith his nearest challenger following a superb 68.

Smith, who was runner-up in 2020 and is bidding to join Tiger Woods as the only players to win the Masters and Players Championship in the same year, was the only competitor to break 70, with South Korea’s Sungjae Im two shots further back following a 71.

Ireland’s Shane Lowry and 2011 champion Charl Schwartzel are seven shots off the pace following matching rounds of 73, with 2016 winner Danny Willett on level par and Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood part of a five-strong group on one over.

Scheffler has already taken home more than £5.6million this season courtesy of his three wins, the 25-year-old breaking his duck in the WM Phoenix Open, then claiming the Arnold Palmer Invitational and WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play titles to make it three victories from five starts.

From the lowest-ranked player