AUGUSTA, Ga. — Will Zalatoris is the latest in a long line of Wake Forest products who have found success on the PGA Tour. And the 24-year-old has gone from being a member of the Korn Ferry Tour 10 months ago to the final twosome in the third round of his first start in the Masters Tournament on Saturday.
Another former Demon Deacon, World Golf Hall of Fame member Curtis Strange, called Zalatoris' progression, "really quite phenomenal."
"He's never been on a stage like this today and tomorrow, so it will be a great learning experience," Strange said. "But watching him the last two days [when Zalatoris shot 70-68 to tie Brian Harman for second], he has the ability to do well here. If he plays anything close to the way he did the last nine holes [on Friday, when Zalatoris shot 31 on the second nine, with three closing birdies] and gets on a run, he can get even more confidence. There's no reason to think he can't do it. I've never bought into this 'Masters rookie,' thing."
The Wake Forest tradition began with Arnold Palmer and has continued with two more Hall of Famers, Strange and Lanny Wadkins, and other Tour winners such as Jay Haas, Bill Haas, Billy Andrade, Scott Hoch, Len Mattiace, Leonard Thompson and Webb Simpson.
Most of those players, including Strange, were coached by Jesse Haddock, who won three national championships and 15 ACC titles from 1960-1993.
Earlier this week, Clemson coach Larry Penley tied Haddock for the most tournament victories by a college coach with 82.
"He was a good recruiter and knew how to relate to young men finding their way," Strange said of Haddock. "He expected a lot of us. It was not fun and games. It was serious to him. He was great for me. I needed more discipline, more direction and he did that for me. My was my second father. I hung on every word he said."
Mickelson rallies
Don’t write off Phil Mickelson … he may be too far behind to contend in the final round of the Masters but two months away from his 51st birthday, he’s still got gas in the tank.
Mickelson birdied the first hole on Saturday on an 11-foot putt and went on to post a 69 to finish at even-par 216.
The three-time Masters champion followed that with a 4-foot birdie putt at No. 3 and a pair of two-putt birdies at Nos. 8 and 13.
“This was a round, first time in a long time, where I scored, where I just kept saving shots and putting it in the right spot,” he said. “I didn't really strike it as well as I did the first few days, but I scored. I put it in the right spot. I got up and down a lot, and it felt good to shoot a number at least. It wasn't the easiest, but it felt good to shoot a number.”
Mickelson saved a par at No. 14 on a 6-foot putt, parred No. 15 after hitting his second shot into the water and then got up and down for par at No. 18.
He admitted he’d need a lot of help the rest of the third round and on Sunday from the leaders.
“I didn't play well enough the first two days and threw too many shots away to really give myself a legitimate opportunity,” he said. “But sometimes you get lucky and you come out in the morning, today, and it was playable, and I made some birdies. Then the wind picks up, and leaders don't go anywhere, and you end up having a chance on Sunday, which is certainly what I'm hoping for.”
Playing partner Billy Horschel said it would be a mistake for anyone to think Mickelson is too old to contend on the PGA Tour.
“I think he's showing some bright spots this year … he's hitting the ball better, driving the ball better,” Horschel said. “Over the last few years, his iron game hasn't been up to his standards that we all know.”
Horschel said Mickelson also will never lack for self-belief.
"He still hits it pretty far … he still goes at it,” Horschel said. “He's out-driving me when he goes at it. Listen, the guy has got a ton of confidence. He's not afraid to hit the shot when it's called for.”
Double trouble
The par-3 fourth hole and par-4 fifth hole are usually difficult holes at Augusta National but they were absolute torment to the third-round field after the relatively easy start afford through the first three holes.
Both holes played at .463 over par, tying for the second most difficult on the course. There was only one birdie at the fourth hole, by Xander Schauffele, and no one birdied No. 5.
The two holes derailed 36-hole leader Justin Rose. He birdied Nos. 1 and 2 to take a three-shot lead, but then bogeyed the next two. Among the other leaders to bogey the fourth were Zalatoris and Brian Harman, while No. 5 bit Corey Conners, Justin Thomas, Schauffele and Tony Finau.
The field made 31 birdies at the par-5 second and 21 at the par-4 third.
Rolling 6s
Corey Conners made the second hole-in-one of the tournament at No. 6 on Saturday.
It was the sixth hole-in-one at the hole in tournament history, and the first since Jamie Donaldson in 2013. It also got Conners' score down to six-under.
He birdied No. 7 and was four-under through his first seven holes.
Tommy Fleetwood made an ace at No. 16 in the first round.
