Sawt Falasteen - Zach Johnson, 49, turns back time with 66 in Masters charge

The 49-year-old American, who made the two-over cut Friday on the number despite a bogey at 18, roared down the back nine at Augusta National on Saturday to finish 54 holes on four-under 212.

"Today was an extreme example of the fruits of my labor showing up," said Johnson. "I've seen the work and the results of hitting the face and seeing the line on putts. It just hasn't showed (in results).

"I don't know if today is a flash, but today was, for lack of a better term, a stroll in the park. I didn't feel like it was work... man, I was in control."

Johnson sank a 41-foot eagle putt at the par-five second hole to reach level par for the tournament. He answered a bogey after chipping over the green at the par-three sixth with an eight-foot birdie putt at the ninth and a 10-foot birdie putt at the 10th.

That's when Johnson pressed the attack, sinking a 13-foot birdie putt at Amen Corner's treacherous par-three 12th and dropping his approach to two feet at the par-five 13th to set up another birdie.

He followed with approaches to three feet at the par-five 15th and inches from the hole at the par-three 16th to set up birdie putts, but found a bunker on his approach at 17 and made bogey.

A closing par left Johnson four adrift of England's Justin Rose only minutes before the 36-hole leader began his third round.

"This place can bring out the absolute best in someone," he said. "When you're engulfed by the magnolias, something just hits you."

Ten years after lifting the Claret Jug at the 2015 Open Championship, Johnson was threating to capture a third major title and become the second-oldest major golf champion.

Phil Mickelson won the 2021 PGA Championship at age 50 to become the oldest major winner. The late Julius Boros is second-oldest, at 48 when he won the 1968 PGA Championship.

Johnson won his first major 18 years ago at Augusta National, beating Tiger Woods Retief Goosen and Rory Sabbatini by two strokes. He fired a one-over par 289 to match the highest winning score in Masters history.

Johnson also took the 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews in a playoff over Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman.

That victory lifted Johnson onto an exclusive list of major winners at iconic courses Augusta National and St. Andrews that includes Woods, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Sam Snead and Jack Nicklaus.

- 'Icing on the cake' -

Johnson, however, has not won any title since then. His futility run also includes being captain of the 2023 US Ryder Cup team that lost to Europe in Italy.

"It's not like I'm playing that much," Johnson said. "I don't hit the ball far enough to compete on some of these venues, but it doesn't mean I can't have a decent finish. It doesn't mean I can't make cuts. It doesn't mean I can't still do it."

While Johnson stressed it was only one round, it was enough to boost his joy at playing at Augusta National.

"When you're playing on some place you love and you're familiar with, when these green jackets want you here, you want to play good," said Johnson.

"It's just icing on the cake if you do."

Z.AlNajjar--SF-PST