Phil making Masters charge

Big guns Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are trying to throw down a challenge to Jordan Spieth, but the young Texan continues to hold court midway through the third round of the Masters.

Spieth, who posted a 36 hole Masters scoring record, produced a one under front side on moving day to push out to 15 under for the tournament, preserving a five shot lead.

But Mickelson is summoning the roars around the pines, going out in four-under-par 32 to move into a tie for second at 10 under, where he remains through 10 holes.

Charley Hoffman, playing with Spieth, is also 10-under-par.

The popular three-time Masters winner and five-time major winner Mickelson caught fire early with three consecutive birdies on two, three and four and capped off the front side with another at the ninth.

Spieth has three birdies and two bogeys at the turn, gaining strokes at the second, sixth and ninth holes but dropping shots at the fourth and seventh.

World No.1 McIlroy had it to eight under at one point before two late bogeys left him with a four-under 68 and a six under total.

Woods, a four-time winner at Augusta and 14-time major winner is seven under for the week and tied fifth with two holes to play.

Australia’s chances are all but gone as Jason Day set himself for a charge but could not capitalise on the greens.

Adam Scott and Day remain the best of the Australians, currently through 14 holes and sitting at four under in a tie for 14th.

Day could have easily been in the conversation but the world No.5 has missed six birdie chances from inside 15 feet, putts he needed to make to be in the mix.

He birdied the second and seventh holes but missed a five-foot chance on the third, a seven-foot chance on the fifth, a 10-foot chance on the sixth, a 15-foot chance on the eighth and a five-foot chance on the ninth and another 14-foot chance on the 12th.

John Senden (72) and Geoff Ogilvy (73) are in the clubhouse at one-over, currently tied 36th.

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