Jon Rahm roars into contention for first time in major

Even at just 23, Jon Rahm has heard a lot about the razor-thin margin of error at Augusta National Golf Club and how the difference between a 65 and 75 can be a bounce or two.

He has now lived it.

Two days after shooting 75, even though he says he was “playing really good golf,” the budding Spanish superstar was better rewarded Saturday with 65 that took him to 8-under-par and fourth place, six shots off the lead entering the final round of the Masters Tournament.

“I felt like I played to shoot 68 and ended up shooting 75, so I wanted to know why,” Rahm said of his Thursday round.

The culprit, he determined, was a slightly wayward driver that had him playing too often from off the fairway.

PHOTOS: Rahm's Third Round at the Masters

“That’s when we realized, hey, maybe we don’t hit it in the rough, if we’re smart, and even if we lay back, we make sure we hit it on the fairway,” he said. “We’re going to be able to hit the green and we’re going to have a good number and at least predict the lie.

“Really, there was nothing that needed to be changed. I was playing really good, and I knew I was playing good. I went back on my round and I realized every time I missed the fairway, I basically made a bogey.”

Big Sunday theatrics are needed, but Rahm is within range of becoming the fourth Spaniard to slip into a green coat – following Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and last year’s winner, Sergio Garcia.

Rahm wasted no time in announcing his Saturday charge up the board. He birdied the first hole from 6 feet after a wonderful approach from left of the fairway, then birdied from 10 feet on No. 2 after finding the bunker on his second shot.

PHOTOS: Third Round Action at Augusta

After five pars, Rahm’s round reignited with a lobbed chip on the par-5 eighth that fell for eagle. The second nine included birdies on Nos. 10 (10 feet), 16 (12 feet) and 17 (15 feet) before a 2-putt par from 90 feet on No. 18.

“Shooting 7-under here is almost like shooting 15-under somewhere else,” Rahm said. “Doing it at Augusta, where Spanish history is so big, really means a lot.”

Rahm, who turned pro less than two years ago out of Arizona State, is playing his second Masters (he tied for 27th last year) and seventh career major. His best major finish was a tie for 23rd at the 2016 U.S. Open, which was his last event as an amateur.

He’s had four professional wins since – two in Europe, two in the U.S. – and has rocketed to No. 3 in the world ranking. This is the first time in his young career he’s entered the final round of a major within reach of the leader.

“If you can get a really good start on that front nine and post a good score again, that back nine can be extremely long for the leaders,” he said. “We know what can happen on that back nine on Sunday. It’s happened many times where a big lead disappears or even gets cut down. Hopefully I'm one of those who plays good tomorrow and has a chance.”