Adam Scott has dropped well of the pace, eight shots behind comfortable leader JB Holmes after the third round of the World Golf Championships event in Miami.

The Australian produced his first over-par round of the tournament – a three-over 75 on the Blue Monster course at Trump National Doral on Saturday – to leave him at three-under overall and tied eighth heading into the final day.

American Holmes continues to lead the way as he has since his blistering 62 in round one, shooting a two-under 70 to push the Kentucky native out to 11-under, five clear of Dustin Johnson (69) and Bubba Watson (70) who share second at six-under.

Ryan Moore is fourth after his 74 left him five-under.

Miraculously, both Holmes and Johnson carded hole-in-ones on the notoriously tough par-three fourth just 24 minutes apart.

John Senden (74) is the next best Australian at one-over in a tie for 22nd while Jason Day (+4), Greg Chalmers (+6), Geoff Ogilvy (+8) and Steven Jeffress (+11) are well off the pace.

Scott started round three just three off the lead and the world No.5 was just one back after he birdied the first and Holmes made bogey.

But rather than accelerate Scott put his game into reverse as he too often found the sand.

He visited five bunkers between holes three and seven and carded four bogeys in a disastrous stretch, and by round end his sand shot tally reached nine.

He also registered his first three-putt of the week on the seventh hole after being relatively flawless in his switch to a short putter.

A birdie on the eighth hole stopped the bleeding but the former Masters champion couldn’t muster another birdie until the 16th hole.

A double bogey on 18 just about finished his push for the title.

After his ace Holmes dropped two shots on the seventh and 12th holes before going on a late blitz.

Four straight birdies from the 14th hole was only slightly soured by a final hole bogey as he created a huge buffer as he searches for the biggest win of his career.