A clearly frustrated McIlroy said on Saturday night he would need to surpass his best round of 65 here if he was to make up the six shots he trailed Garcia and Rose going into the final round.
The 23-year-old American birdied the par-three sixth hole, sunk a 20-foot putt at the eighth and produced a sumptuous iron shot into the ninth green to get to three under. I don't even know how much it would mean to be able to join both of my idols as a Masters victor.
Jordan Spieth, the 2015 victor who was the 54-hole leader each of the past three years, will start Sunday two shots behind the leaders, getting himself into contention with a 4-under 68.
Jordan Spieth hits his tee shot on the 2nd hole in the third round at the 2017 Masters.
Garcia and Rose began the day as co-leaders and with nine holes to play in year's first major were at eight under par, still deadlocked after contrasting starts. However, luck was on his side when he just managed to avoid going into Rae's Creek at 13 before recovering with a fine chip that set up a birdie.
"Fortunately for me, that bank seems to be a tiny bit longer this year, which is nice, " Garcia said, "because it gives you the possibility of getting a break like that".
That left McIlroy promising an aggressive approach to his third round as he reflected on the error of his tentative ways at the same stage 12 months earlier, when caution failed to stay the course in a last-pairing battle with Jordan Spieth.
They had a one-shot lead over Rickie Fowler, who made birdies on all four of the par 5s to offset a few mistakes in a round of 71. So he's already shown some bad signs, and that was without the pressure of going for his first major win during the final round. He'll be paired with Rose, a friend, for the final 18 holes. "He said he was nervous on the first tee and I'm like, in my head I'm like, I'm kind of nervous because I don't want to let my marker beat me". 'For me the test was around six when I made bogey but then I clicked into gear on the back nine and the par putt on 11 was the catalyst. The 2015 Master champion is 3 over through 10 holes and a daunting seven shots behind. He posted birdies on No. 8 and No. 15.
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Unsurprisingly it was a par-five which played the easiest, with the 13th regaining its title from the opening day.
No previous Masters victor has trailed by more than seven shots after 18 holes. "Having a chance of winning a major and winning here at Augusta, it's extra exciting".
"We're in a positon now where we", Spieth said, "I think, can go out there and win this thing".
Hoffman, who had a two-stroke lead at one time on Saturday, hit into the water on the 16th hole and fell back with a double-bogey 5.
FADING PHIL: Phil Mickelson looked ready for a patented Masters charge Saturday when he opened with birdies on the first and second holes.
Only 10 players remained under par, all of them separated by five shots.
It was mission accomplished for Adam Scott on Saturday as the Australian put on a clinical display of precise ball-striking at the U.S Masters to sneak within striking distance of a second Green Jacket with a second successive three-under 69.
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