Kat Downes
Golf commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports

Amen Corner has really slapped Justin Rose around the face.

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Oh hello.

Despite walking about the place gingerly because of his back injury, Collin Morikawa has just rolled in his fourth birdie in a row at 15 and moves to eight under.

Two more needed to match Tyrrell Hatton's clubhouse mark.

Trish Johnson
Former Europe Solheim Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live

That is one of the worst chips you will ever see from Justin Rose.

That is just inexplicable.

After his issues at the 11th, Justin Rose chunks a chip back towards the 12th green. His club hits the ground first there and it's just and ugly and unfortunate contact at exactly the wrong time.

He will do well to escape this hole with a bogey.

Tyrrell Hatton records his second 66 of the week to set the clubhouse pace with a par on the 18th.

The Englishman is well on course to beat his best ever finish (tied for ninth in 2024) and will be more than an interested observer over the next hour or so.

Rory McIlroy putts through the shadow of one of the towering pines from behind the 10th green. Excellent judge of pace and that's a good par on one of Augusta's toughest holes.

Cameron Young saw what McIlroy's putt did coming down the hill but he doesn't start his high enough and he settles for par.

Justin Rose would be the second oldest Masters champion and oldest first-time winner around these parts if he can get the job done today.

The 45-year-old is going to have to do it the hard way though as his par putt drifts left to cost him a shot.

Russell Henley dropped a shot on the 12th after going through the back of the par-three but he's on the green in three on the par-five 13th and takes the immediate chance to make amends.

Rory McIlroy hangs his three-wood out to the right-side of the fairway on 10. Top of the hill, 220 yards to go.

Six-iron. It comes in hot and nestles on the back fringe. Great swing, but another treacherous putt coming up.

Cameron Young's coming in from the same angle. And he plays a beauty to 20 feet or so.

Trish Johnson
Former Europe Solheim Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live

I never expected the top three after nine holes to be Rose, McIlroy and Hatton.

That never occurred to me but it’s fantastic.

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One club too many for JR at the 11th? That has raced way too far on and the Englishman is remonstrating with himself as he heads down the fairway to take a look.

Justin Rose finds himself in Larry Mize territory (if you owned the original PGA Tour console games or know your golf history, you'll know what we mean) down the right of the 11th and faces an extremely difficult iron shot to get close.

Scottie Scheffler plays the 12th as you're supposed to, dropping it over the bunker into the middle of the green and taking your chance with a long birdie putt.

He almost holes it as well, but has to make do with another par - he's not quite running out of holes yet but he'll want to try and pick up a shot soon.

The par-five 13th seems the perfect opportunity as the easiest hole on the course today.

Oh Rory, what a chance that was. He misses his six-footer at the ninth for his third successive birdie and remains one back.

Cameron Young, however, makes his third bogey in four holes and drops two back. He's going through a bit of sticky patch.

Brilliant up and down from Tyrrell Hatton on the 17th.

The Englishman is faced with a horrible chip and controls the spin beautifully to send his ball into eight feet before rolling in.

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Justin Rose reaches the 10th green in two but gives himself a tricky par-saving putt from five feet.

The last thing he wants to be doing at this stage is giving back any shots and it's never in doubt.

For once, a wayward Cameron Young drive isn't spat back out into the fairway by the trees.

He's actually in amongst the branches and can only chip out, but his ball nestles into a divot for his third.

His luck's really run out now as he flies his third way too far. Hmmm.

McIlroy finds the fairway and has 137 yards in. He loves it. Five feet for a birdie!

How exciting is this? Strap yourselves in for the next couple of hours, folks. This is shaping up to be an all-timer.

Tyrrell Hatton leaks his tee shot right on the 17th so will have to play his approach from a small gap between trees.

"Carry the bunker", he says as his ball flies in towards the dance floor and hops on and off to leave a demanding chip.

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Shane Lowry can't buy a birdie down the stretch of his first nine holes, which he finishes at three over par and six under for the tournament. It'll take some run for him to get back into this - although Tyrrell Hatton is showing it can be done.

Sam Burns is two over for his first nine after starting with a birdie but making a double on the second - he's made six straight pars.

Scottie Scheffler gives himself a good chance at birdie on the 10th but he doesn't hit it - criminal really leaving that short when you're birdie hunting on the back nine from Scottie.

He should get locked up for that....