Charley Hoffman started the third round of the Masters on Saturday in second place, five strokes behind leader Jordan Spieth. Hoffman finished six strokes behind the leader, but wasn’t unhappy.
Hoffman got within four of Spieth after birdieing No. 8 – providing some hope he could still win his first major – until a bogey on the par-5 15th dropped him to 10 under and seven strokes behind.
As Spieth rolled in a birdie putt on 16 to reach 18 under, Hoffman pulled an even shorter birdie putt left to fall eight strokes behind.
“Speed of the putts, I never had it down,” he said. “So, fortunately, I had a lot of good opportunities out there and didn’t make any of them, really, and so all in all pretty happy with 1 under. But for my emotions and everything like that, it felt great.”
Hoffman bogeyed 17 and birdied 18 to get one back.
Though the daylight was fading, Hoffman planned to go practice Saturday night to prepare for Sunday’s final round.
Hoffman said he won’t change his strategy because he thinks the results will change.
“If I keep doing that and the putts go in, I think I have a chance tomorrow,” Hoffman said.
About the Author
