AUGUSTA, Ga. _ Six holes down and 12 to play, Justin Rose was going backwards.
While the leaders had gone off five shots ahead, Rose was 1 over par for his third round and the Masters seemed to be going forth without him. About then, he and caddie Mark "Fooch" Fulcher had a chat Saturday afternoon.
"We kind of knew we were being tested at that point in the tournament," Rose said. "We were playing well but we weren't really making inroads toward the lead. And (we) chose to stay patient because that's kind of the only choice we really had and it really paid off. Doesn't always pay off but on this occasion, it paid off."
In a streak that even he couldn't explain, the Englishman ripped into Augusta National even as the course grew more difficult with drying conditions, birdieing six of the final 11 holes for a 36-31-67, good for a share of the lead at 6 under par with Sergio Garcia entering Sunday's final round.
Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion, birdied the last three par-5s and the final two closing holes, matching his career-best Masters round, most recently carded twice two years ago when he was runner-up.
"It was there for the taking in the sense that if you played great golf, you were rewarded," he said. "But (the course) still had enough teeth that if you weren't on your game, it was going to get you. I'm in great position going into (Sunday). I think had I been two or three shots behind, I still would have felt that I was in great position, which leads me to understand everybody's mindset behind me."
There's some history. Rose was paired with Jordan Spieth for the final round of the 2015 Masters, when Spieth ran away from the field in a record-tying performance. Paired with Garcia on Sunday, he plays with a 37-year-old pro still seeking his first major championship in 18 years of trying. Rose understands the territory.
"Sergio is going to have a great opportunity (Sunday)" Rose said. "There's wonderful storylines. Obviously, I'm a major champion but I'm looking for more and I'm certainly looking for my first green jacket. This is a place I dearly love and would dearly love to be a part of the history here."
