Reporting from Augusta, Ga. — As the record-setting leader of the Masters on Saturday evening, Jordan Spieth looked anything but confident or happy.
“Mixed feelings,” he admitted rather glumly.
In the span of a half hour, near sunset at Augusta National, Spieth’s march toward possibly pulling on the green jacket for a second straight time went from seemingly inevitable to barely any more likely than a victory by one of his boyhood rivals or a remarkable 58-year-old.
With two blocked drives into the pines that led to a bogey at 17 and a double-bogey at 18, Spieth saw a four-shot lead — the same margin he held going into last year’s final round — reduced to just one.
Spieth shot a one-over-par 73 — his second straight round in the black after opening with a 66 — to stand at three-under 213, and his closest pursuer is 24-year-old Smylie Kaufman, a PGA Tour and Masters rookie who had the day’s best score of 69.
They will play together in the final round, having last faced off in junior golf.
Two shots behind are 24-year-old Hideki Matsuyama and Bernhard Langer, the Champions Tour terror who won both of his Masters, in 1985 and ‘93, before Spieth was born.
PGA champion Jason Day (71) and Dustin Johnson (72), at even par with Danny Willett (72), are grouped together.
Rory McIlroy, who played with Spieth, shot a 77 and is five shots back.
Hit the reset button. It’s a new and very different game.
“It was a really tough finish to go from holding a four-shot lead and being in a very similar position to last year, to where all of a sudden now it’s anyone’s game, so it’s tough to swallow that,” Spieth said.
He acknowledged that there’s value to being the 54-hole leader. In reaching that position, he became the first player in Masters history to hold the top spot for seven straight rounds. Not since 1954 has a defending champion from the previous year had the outright lead going into Sunday.
If he wins, Spieth will become only the fourth player ever to successfully defend his title at Augusta and the first since Tiger Woods (2001-02).
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Danny Willett of England walks along the 15th hole during the final round of the Masters on Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth gathers his thoughts on the 18th green before finishing the final round with a one-over 73.
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Jordan Spieth presents Danny Willett the winner’s green jacket Sunday evening at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Augusta National chairman William Porter Payne presents American Bryson DeChambeau with the trophy for being the top amateur at the Masters during the awards ceremony Sunday evening.
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Masters champion Danny Willett gives the thumbs-up sign to fans after the awards ceremony at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth gets a pat on the back from caddie Michael Greller on the 18th hole after finishing second at the Masters.
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Jordan Spieth takes a second drop on the 12th hole after one of the two times his shots landed in Rae’s Creek while hitting approach shots there during the final round of the Masters tournament.
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Jordan Spieth plays his second shot on the 11th hole from the trees during the final round of the Masters on Sunday.
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Danny Willett reacts after making a putt at No. 14 on Sunday during the final round of the Masters.
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Hideki Matsuyama of Japan chips onto a green during the final round of the Masters on Sunday.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot out of the bunker during the final round of the Masters.
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Lee Westwood of England reacts after making an eagle on the 15th hole during the final round of the Masters.
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Jason Day of Australia reacts after playing a shot Sunday during the final round of the Masters.
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Patrons leave Augusta National Golf Club after the third round of the Masters.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot onto the 16th green during third round of the Masters.
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Bernhard Lange tips his cap to the crowd after putting out at No. 18 during the third round of the Masters on Saturday.
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Jordan Spieth walks out of the trees along the 18th fairway after hitting a recovery shot during the third round of the Masters.
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Jordan Spieth hits out of the rough along the 17th fairway Saturday during the third round of the Masters.
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Hideki Matsuyama of Japan plays his second shot on the 12th hole during the third round of the Masters.
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Rory McIlroy reacts to a missed birdie putt on the 17th green during the third round of the Masters.
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Sergio Garcia of Spain lines up a putt on the 13th green during the third round of the Masters.
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American Scott Piercy creates a splash of sand as he hits out of a bunker during the third round of the Masters.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the 17th tee during the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy hits out of a bunker on the 18th green during Round 1 of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Ian Poulter, of England, reacts after missing a putt on the first hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Danny Lee, of New Zealand, hits a drive on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Mike Weir of Canada hit out of a bunker on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jason Day, of Australia, watches his drive on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Charl Schwartzel, of South Africa, hits out of a bunker on the fourth hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Patrons walk along the first fairway before the start of play during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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A scorekeeper peers through a hole from behind a board during Round 1 of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Martin Kaymer of Germany down the fairway on the fifteenth hole during the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Australia’s Steven Bowditch putts on 1st hole during Round 1 of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in April. (DON EMMERT / AFP/Getty Images)
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Rickie Fowler hits out of the rough off the first fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth hits on the second fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Victor Dubuisson of France and caddie Leonard Francois walk up the third fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Amateur Bryson DeChambeau tees off on the third hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth lines up a putt on the first hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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A scorekeeper places numbers on a leaderboard during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jack Nicklaus waves before hitting a ceremonial first tee shot before the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Steven Bowditch of Australia celebrates after chipping in a birdie on the first hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Lee Westwood of England chips on the second hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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A sign bearing the names of the honorary starters Gary Player of South Africa, Jack Nicklaus of the U.S. and Arnold Palmer of the U.S. before they ceremonially open the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player together on the first tee at the ceremonially opening of the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament.
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Patrons wait for the gates to open near the first fairway before the start of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Patrons file onto the course after the gates are opened near the first fairway before the start of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Spectators line a fairway to watch the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press) But it was difficult for Spieth to keep that in perspective with the disappointment he felt. He recalled how pumped up he was last year on Saturday when he made a tremendous up-and-down from above the 18th green for a momentum-saving par.
He walked off the 18th this time looking completely shattered.
“Probably go break something really quick, have dinner and watch a movie,” Spieth, laughing at himself, said of what he would try do to clear his head.
In reality, he admitted in his usual matter-of-fact way, getting over the funk of his finish wouldn’t be easy.
“Honestly, I think it will be tough to put it behind,” he said. “I think I will, but that wasn’t a fun last couple holes to play from the position I was in. I’m not going to dodge the question by any means.”
If Spieth reaches the closing holes somewhere near the lead Sunday, it will be fascinating to see how he handles them. This week, he has played 16 through 18 in five over. In 11 rounds at Augusta, he’s five over at 17 alone.
Spieth lamented his choice of driver on the 17th on Saturday, saying he should have used a three-wood to avoid trouble.
“I played the last three holes the last two days five over par,” Spieth said. “There was no challenge in those holes, really.”
Spieth was steady early Saturday, trading two birdies with a bogey on the front, until he missed the green at the difficult 11th and made double bogey. He responded with birdies at 12, 14 and 15 to seemingly be cruising again.
He was pleased with some nervy putts he made to save par. But he said he’s putting too much pressure on his putter.
“I’ve got to strike the ball better,” Spieth said. “That’s what leaves me a little uneasy compared to last year.”
Langer’s 70 in such trying conditions — highlighted by his chip-in for birdie on the 14th hole — was unexpected, but as Spieth pointed out, this is a man who has dominated the Champions Tour with 26 wins.
“It’s incredible,” Spieth said. “I would say I’m surprised except for doesn’t he win most every tournament on the Champions Tour?”
Still, if the German captures this Masters, he would shatter the record for oldest champion of a major by 10 years.
“When I play really, really good, when I bring my A-game, I can still compete, and even on a very long golf course like this,” Langer said.
