Crescenta Valley High graduate John Huh moves up Masters Tournament leaderboard
John Huh was familiar the third round of the Masters Tournament is referred to as “moving day.” A poor performance can end a golfers’ dream at a green jacket, while a quality showing can send them up the leaderboard.
For the Crescenta Valley High graduate, it was the latter Saturday at the 77th Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. Huh trimmed six strokes off his second-round score with an one-under-par 71.
“Today was a moving day, so it means you have to move on up to the best position possible,” said Huh, who was named the 2012 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, which earned him a spot in the four major championships, including the Masters. “I started out with that in my head.”
His score shot Huh 20 spots up the leaderboard from a seven-way tie for 48th place to a four-way share of the 28th position on the board. Overall, his three-round score is a two-over-par 218 with the fourth and final round taking place Sunday.
“Obviously, with a disappointing round yesterday it was much better [today],” Huh said. “Overall, I am really pleased. I am looking forward to coming out tomorrow and playing strong.”
Huh just made the third-round cut by a stroke after shooting a five-over 77 Friday. While he vaulted up the leaderboard Saturday, the front of the pack still sits nine strokes in the distance.
Brandt Snedeker and Angel Cabrera share the lead after the third round after each shot three-under Saturday to bring their three-round scores to a seven-under 209.
“I’m definitely looking forward to playing well tomorrow and finishing within the top-12, so I can come back next year. That’s pretty much my goal,” said Huh, who is scheduled to tee off his final round with Ernie Els at 9:10 a.m. PDT Sunday.
The Masters announced a change to its qualifying requirements in a press release Wednesday. The top-12 finishers this year will be invited back in 2014, while in years past the bar was set for the top-16.
The former Falcon put himself in a manageable spot to make the cut with a strong start Saturday, as he birdied the first and third holes. He parred the next nine holes before adding another birdie on 13 to put him three under on the day.
For the second day in a row, Huh couldn’t finish strong. He bogeyed on 14 and 15 before parring the final three holes to finish one stroke shy of his best round in Thursday’s opener.
“I could say that I lost a little bit of concentration and the course management was a little bad, especially on 14,” Huh said of the bogeys. “I lost a little concentration there and just hit a bad shot.”