AUGUSTA, Ga. — A near-record 63 players made the cut at this Masters. Almost all of them shared one game plan: Attack the four par 5s.
The anticipated third-round shootout at Augusta National never developed. Instead, it was more of a fundamental military maneuver for the golfing elite, and as most of the players fired great shots before ultimately falling back, success on the par 5s was lasting.
“I needed to be aggressive and go after the par 5s,” Brandt Snedeker said. “There are a few gettable ones, for sure. You can get them in and do something special.”
“That’s what just about everyone has to do around here.”
Snedeker, a Nashville resident and Vanderbilt graduate, made the biggest move early Saturday. His third-round 68 moved him to 1 under par for the tournament, eight behind leader Peter Hanson. It’s easy to see how Snedeker got there, playing the four par 5s at 3 under. Padraig Harrington and Hunter Mahan also moved up the leaderboard with 68s that were highlighted by three birdies on the four par 5s.