Seems Matsuyama has had a jolt of adrenalin run through his body. And it is affecting his clarity of thought.

After getting away with his wayward drive, he opts for a long iron and is going for the green from 210 yards. He drags it way left.

Again the golfing gods appear to be looking down on him, the ball dropping in the grass between bunker and azaleas.

Let's wait and see what damage was inflicted...

-12 H Matsuyama (12)

-7 J Spieth (14), X Schauffele (13), W Zalatoris (12)

-6 J Rahm (F), J Rose (13)

-5 P Reed (16), M Leishman (13)

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre has really warmed to his task in the last seven or eight holes.

He rolls in an 18-foot putt to move inside the top 10. What a Masters debut.

After dropping the shot on 12, Matsuyama grabs the driver on the 13th tee. That's as bold as the green jacket he is trying to win.

He almost pays the price as he crashes his drive into the trees on the right. Almost because it clunks a bit of bark and reappears in the first cut next to the fairway. Lucky boy.

Patrick Reed, the 2018 champion is playing some carefree golf now the pressure is off.

He's birdied the 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th holes to get to five under.

The last of those was a tap in after an excellent tee shot that threatened the hole.

Those of you wanting some Sunday night drama might be willing Matsuyama to fly this out of the sand and back into Rae's Creek.

He's not willing to oblige. A safe, shot splash hits the fringe and the buffers to leave him well short.

Schauffele's target now, after that horror run on three, four and five, must be to get back level for the day and see where that takes him from there.

A longish putt from the fringe does not seem the likeliest place to wipe out Sunday's deficit - but he does. Never left the centre of the hole.

Matsuyama can't convert his par putt and takes his medicine. The lead goes back to five...

Will Zalatoris leaves that eagle putt short and right, giving him an eight-foot birdie chance, but he can't take it and the hole turns into a three-putt par.

He stays six back.

Matsuyama's record on Golden Bell this week? Par-par-birdie. But funny things happen on the Sunday... maybe not this year.

The leader knocks his tee shot into the bunker at the back of the green. Better safe than sorry.

Image source, Getty Images

Justin Rose will take that par. He makes a pretty good fist of dropping in a 40-footer for birdie, leaving it within two feet.

Will Zalatoris could really do with this long eagle putt dropping at the par-five 13th... it's a 50-footer, after finding the left edge of the green in two. Be some putt from there.

Wonderful chip in from Tony Finau. He was all over the place with his first two shots but that more than makes amends.

-13 H Matsuyama (11)

-7 W Zalatoris (12)

-6 J Rahm (F), J Spieth (13), X Schauffele (11)

-5 J Rose (12)

After knocking in a par on 11, Hideki Matsuyama walks on to the 12th tee with a six-shot lead.

Jordan Spieth had a five-shot lead here in 2016. Just saying.

First birdie of the day for Tony Finau after he pushes an eagle putt about 20 feet past the hole. It's been one of those days for the American.

Time is running out for Justin Rose to make a move but he plays a lovely draw from the top of the ridge to give himself a look at a birdie from 13 feet.

Will this one drop? No it's another that's just slightly off line.

Marc Leishman who tucked his tee shot into the trees, pays the price despite a very handy wedge to around 10 feet.

Will Zalatoris clears the water at the par-three Golden Bell, the 12th, and that's half the battle. Though he's left it on the fringes a long way from the pin.

That's a delightful pitch from the debutant, deftly lofting it to five feet.

It's so serene and quiet out on the green, away from any patrons in the distance.

Can Zalatoris tidy up for par? Oh no... that fizzes wide to the left, still work to do from three feet for bogey. He makes it, but drops six shots off the pace.

Hideki Matsuyama has one arm in that Green Jacket.

This is where Matsuyama shifted gears yesterday. Today, he just has to maintain his current momentum.

Another beauty of a drive hits the 11th fairway and earns the plaudits of those stood by the tee box.

A smile even appears across his face. Steady on, Hideki, you're supposed to be going through the wringer on Sunday at Augusta, not enjoying yourself.

Schauffele goes a different route, pulling his drive left.

Another birdie here for Matsuyama would have the Augusta tailors thinking about checking the 29-year-old's measurements.

The Japanese gives it a good go, arcing his ball round the right-to-left line. It stops an inch or two short.

Never mind. Another eight of these - greens in reg and two putts - will do him very nicely.

If Jordan Spieth doesn't wake up in cold sweats when having a nightmare about that 2016 collapse at Augusta then we certainly do.

He's back at the scene of that fateful afternoon - the iconic 12th.

The Texan is short with his tee shot and you can hear the gasps from the patrons as his ball rolls back to the water. Flashbacks.

This time, though, it catches the longer grass and stays dry.

Will Zalatoris is making fairways and greens but he needs to turn those into birdies on the back nine if he is to give Hideki Matsuyama a scare.

The 24-year-old is the Japanese star's closest challenger, but remains five back.

He nestles a tidy birdie putt up from the edge of the green to within five feet that should see him tick off another par. In it goes.