First major title beckons Scottie Scheffler heading into final round of Masters

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Scottie Scheffler will take a three-shot lead into the final round of the 86th Masters as he bids to cement his position as world number one with a first major title.

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Scheffler was the sixth player in tournament history to hold a five-shot lead at the halfway stage, with four of the previous five going on to claim the green jacket at Augusta National.

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Bogeys on the 14th and 15th saw Scheffler’s lead cut to three strokes and although he responded superbly to birdie the 17th,

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A third round of 71 gave Scheffler a nine-under-par total of 207, with Australia’s Cameron Smith his nearest challenger following a superb 68.

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Smith, who was runner-up in 2020 and is bidding to join Tiger Woods as the only players to win the Masters and Players Championship in the same year,

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Ireland’s Shane Lowry and 2011 champion Charl Schwartzel are seven shots off the pace following matching rounds of 73,

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Scheffler has already taken home more than £5.6million this season courtesy of his three wins, the 25-year-old breaking his duck in the WM Phoenix Open,

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