Jason Day admitted he feared becoming another high-profile victim of the Masters marker after carding a 69 in his third round.
Day was first out on Saturday alongside Augusta National pro Jeff Knox, who has claimed a number of notable scalps in his role as playing marker for the weekend if an odd number of players make the cut.
Knox famously beat Rory McIlroy by a stroke in 2014 and he has also got the better of Sergio Garcia in the past, but Day managed to avoid similar humiliation in a round that featured four consecutive birdies from the 12th.
"I just didn't want Jeff to beat me," said Day, who lifted himself to three over and inside the top 30. "I heard that he beat Rory. He said he was nervous on the first tee and in my head I'm like, I'm kind of nervous because I don't want to let my marker beat me.
"So, it was kind of neck and neck. I bogeyed the second hole and he parred it so he had a little one‑up lead there for a bit, so I'm glad I ended up carrying out the back side."
Day is making his first start since pulling out of the WGC Match Play and revealing he was unable to "comprehend being on a golf course" as his mother had been diagnosed with lung cancer.
Dening Day's prognosis has improved after surgery, and the world No 3 added: "I feel like I actually I can actually play golf again, which is great, when I play like that. I kind of let things go a little bit in the middle part of my round with not really capitalising on the opportunities I had, on seven and eight especially.
"But for the most part, birdieing 12 through 15 was pretty good. Hitting that shot up through the trees onto the green at 15 was pretty good as well. I didn't have much room, but I hit a great shot there."