Rory McIlroy’s challenge for a maiden Masters title was significantly boosted after a string of world-class shots during his third round at Augusta.
The 28-year-old, aiming to became only the sixth player in history to complete a career Grand Slam, went into the weekend five strokes off the pace but made a fast start to his front nine on Saturday.
McIlroy parred his opening two holes and followed a 20-footer at the third by holing from a similar distance at the next, before a stunning approach from the fairway bunker at the fifth helped him save par.
The four-time major champion attacked the flag off the sixth tee and was inches away from a hole-in-one, seeing his ball take a small hop and stop stone-dead to leave a kick-in birdie.
Better was to come at the par-five eighth, where McIlroy missed the green in two but holed-out from off the putting surface for an incredible eagle.
Click on the videos above to see McIlroy's front-nine magic!
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