Andy Ogletree is front-runner in Masters amateur race after three rounds

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Andy Ogletree reacts after sinking a birdie putt on No. 14 Saturday morning in the completion of his second round at the Masters Tournament. The U.S. Amateur champion is currently the low amateur with one round to play. [Andrew Davis Tucker/The Augusta Chronicle]

Through 54 holes, Andy Ogletree has the lead for the low amateur trophy in this year’s Masters Tournament.

His 1-under-par 71 in Saturday’s third round puts him at 2-under 214 and two strokes ahead of John Augenstein, the other amateur to make the cut.

"Yeah, I got off to a good start. It's a long day. I played eight holes this morning, was playing pretty good to start the morning, and then kind of picked up right where I left off,“ said Ogletree, the U.S. Amateur champion who played at Georgia Tech. ”I made a good putt on 12, made a good save on 11, first of all. I laid up, had like 106 yards, saved a par there, made a good putt on 12. Two putted 13 for birdie. So, 2-under through four. Playing 10 and 11 is great any time.”

“So I felt like I was off to a good start and then just kind of coasted.”

Round 3 Photos

Ogletree started his third round on No. 10 and made birdies on 12 and 13 to get to 3 under in the tournament.

He then bogeyed two of his last three holes – seven and nine, with a birdie on eight sandwiched in – to finish the day.

While Ogletree had a strong third round, Augenstein wasn’t pleased with his day. He shot 75 and is at even par for the tournament.

“The greens were definitely a little faster, but that didn't have anything to do with it,” said Augenstein, the U.S. Amateur runner-up from Vanderbilt. “I just didn't hit it as well as I have been. I had a few three putts and just all in all was a poorly played round of golf.”

Though he’s leading heading into Sunday’s final round, Ogletree said he’s not taking anything for granted. The low amateur receives the silver cup and a place at the winner’s ceremony.

“I'm just trying to make as many birdies as I can and play my best golf,” Ogletree said. “If that turns out to be low am, I'm super thrilled with that. That's every amateur's goal that plays here is to win low am. Yeah, just go out and try to make as many birdies as I can.”

Four amateurs missed the cut. James Sugrue shot a 5-over 77 in the first round, missing the cut by four strokes. He finished with a 4-over 148. Lukas Michel shot a 6-over 150, Yuxin Lin shot 8-over 152 and Abel Gallegos a 16-over 160.