Day 3 at Augusta

Defending champion Adam Scott couldn't get anything going Saturday, his chances of becoming only the fourth back-to-back winner in Masters history fading away with an ugly 40 on the front side. He faces a six-stroke deficit heading to Sunday, a daunting challenge with so many players in between him and the lead.

With the leaders still waiting to tee off, Gary Woodland put on quite a show for the early arrivers at Augusta National.

The 29-year-old Kansan had the patrons roaring on a Saturday morning with a 6-under 30 before the turn, matching the lowest score ever on the front side at the Masters.

Woodland became the first player since Phil Mickelson in the final round of the 2009 tournament to shoot 30 on the first nine holes. The only others to do it were K.J. Choi in 2004, Greg Norman in 1988 and Johnny Miller in 1975.

Unfortunately for Woodland, he ran into trouble in Amen Corner, bogeying No. 11 and double-bogeying No. 12, and finished with a 69.

Matt Kuchar: Matt Kuchar arrived at Augusta National Golf Club with some pretty impressive recent results under his belt, second in the Houston Open after finishing fourth in the Texas Open a week earlier.

Kuchar channeled some of that momentum Saturday, shooting a 4-under-par 68 to move into contention.

"It's exciting to be in this position, to be close on Saturday, moving day, went ahead and made a move and played some really good golf," Kuchar said. "It's nice to have it really come through and be teeing off late on Sunday at the Masters. It's a fun place to be."

Kuchar started the day at even, following rounds of 73 and 71, but he moved to 3 under with three birdies on the front nine. He made three more birdies in a row on the back, dropping in putts at Nos. 13, 14 and 15 to get to 5 under and tie for the lead at one point. A bogey on No. 18 — Kuchar had a 30-foot par putt roll over the top of the hole — dropped him to 4 under.

The 35-year-old has finished in the top 10 the past two years, and he led late in the final round in 2012 before faltering late and finishing tied for third while Watson won.

Rory McIlroy was hoping for a little sympathy on the 18th green. No chance.

McIlroy birdied three of his final four holes in the third round, shooting a 1-under 71, but he got beat by his amateur playing partner.

"I thought he was going to be nice and three-putt the last and we would have a half, but he beat me by one," McIlroy said. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone putt the greens as well as he does around here. I was thinking of maybe getting him to read a few of my putts out there."

Ben Crenshaw first showed up at the Masters as a 20-year-old amateur out of Texas. Next year will be his 44th consecutive appearance — and his last one.

Crenshaw told Golf Channel that he has decided 2015 will be his final year playing the Masters.

Crenshaw won his first Masters in 1984, memorable for that 60-foot putt he made on the 10th hole. Even more special was 1995, when he won the Masters after starting the week as a pallbearer at the funeral of longtime coach Harvey Penick.

"I've thought about it for a long time," Crenshaw said about retiring from Masters competition. "A lot of times I thought that I could have stepped down earlier. It is hard — very hard. But I have been so fortunate. I have to look at the good things that have happened. I have to pull over and watch."

"We're pretty good friends. It's going to be fun. It will be interesting but be fun. Hopefully one of us wins, if not me hopefully him."