Never say never ahead of the final round of the Masters. Former champion Charl Schwartzel knows he has to get his balky putter to co-operate, however, if he is to have any chance after getting out front after a third round of one-over-par 73 at Augusta National on Saturday.

He’s in a share of fourth with Irishman Shane Lowry at two-under for the tournament, seven strokes behind the leader, world number one Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler was on nine-under after his Saturday 71, and was three clear of Australia’s Cameron Smith who had a four-under 68. First-round leader Sungjae Im of South Korea was in third on four-under.

“I just had a real poor day with the putter,” said Schwartzel, who had another great day of ball-striking, which included an eagle-two on the 10^th which got him to six-under for the tournament. There was a moment then during which he must have thought Scheffler could have been caught, but a bogey on the tough 11^th, and three more on 14, 16 and 17 had him hanging on in the colder weather that he really doesn’t like.

“Normally in the cold I struggle, and today I played beautifully,” he said. “I really struggle swinging in the cold. I thought I did a great job today. I actually hit the ball good. Hit 15 greens in these conditions; I’ll take that any day. If you count the fringe on 18 as a green hit, that would have been 15 greens in regulation for me. So just a bad day with the putter.”

The only other South African left in the field is Christiaan Bezuidenhout. He had a great front nine, with birdies on the third and eighth giving him hope that he might be able to play his way into contention from a position of two-under for the tournament. But a homeward nine of seven-over left him way back in a share of 34^th. There were bogeys on 10, 11, 14, 16 and 17, and a double-bogey seven on the 13^th, where he spun his approach back into Rae’s Creek after laying up on the hole that has played easiest of all during the tournament.

“There are still 18 holes to play,” said Schwartzel. “And you never know what is going to happen here on Sunday. It’s a tough course, and Scottie certainly controls his own destiny with the lead he has. But you can go low if you put your shots in the right places.”

Lowry, who won the Open Championship in 2019, agreed. “There is a 65 out there if conditions are good tomorrow,” said Lowry. And weather forecasts are calling for a warmer and calmer day.

“It’s a tough course and a lot of things can happen, as we’ve seen guys shoot 50 on the back nine,” said Schwartzel. “This course gives you some opportunities if you can get in the right spots. So keep swinging, create some opportunities just to see if I can make some putts.”