Masters: Cold, gusty winds test top professionals in third round

Augusta: So tough were conditions at Augusta National on Saturday that a good amateur would have struggled to break 100, said one of the professionals who was buffeted by the cold, gusty winds in a tortuously difficult third round.

Australian Cameron Davis was asked what he guessed a 10-handicapper might have shot.

“You could play really well and shoot below 100 if you make a couple of putts, I reckon,” he said, speaking after shooting seven-over-par 79.

Only Adam Scott and Harold Varner III (80) shot higher, but there were also a bunch of 79s.

Cameron Smith was the lone player to break 70, his 68 lifting him into second place, three shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler.

With the temperature hovering around 50F (10C), though it felt considerably colder in an icy wind and for most of the day under overcast skies, players dressed for the occasion.

“I had hand warmers all day, but I don’t think they helped, to be honest,” said Smith.

Perhaps he should have copied Rory McIlroy and used four hand warmers. “I’m getting soft. I’ve been living in Florida for too long now,” said the Northern Irishman.

Lee Westwood, after his 75th career round at Augusta, said: “I’ve never really experienced weather like this round here. Yeah, it took some figuring out at times.”

Added Marc Leishman: “I’ve got five layers on and I never even thought about taking any of them off.” Tommy Fleetwood got unusually excited about his round of 70, a score that normally would elicit little more than a shrug.

“I played amazing today,” he said, before perhaps realising that he did not want to come across as boastful.

“I mean, not saying I’m the best golfer in the word, but I played really, really well.” It was that sort of day.