Birthday boy Henley in the hunt entering Sunday at the Masters

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

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          Russell Henley’s timing was mighty good.

          Just when he found his groove, those above him – like the leader – lost theirs.

          So instead of being part of a large group ostensibly battling for second at the 90th Masters, the Stratford grad is in the hunt for the green jacket.

          Henley’s career-best 66 lifted him into a tie for ninth, but he’s now only five shots back of co-leaders Cameron Young and Rory McIlroy.

          He tees off Sunday with Patrick Cantlay at 1:41 p.m.

          The day began with McIlroy in first by six shots, and now 12 players are within five of the pair.

          Surprisingly, Henley – who turns 37 on Sunday - turned in a bogey-free round, after knocking it around for 10 bogeys in the first 36 holes. He also had 10 birdies in that span.

          Saturday, he had a solid six-birdie afternoon. And the monster duo at 17 and 18 that he bogeyed Thursday and Friday? A par and a birdie.

          “I don't hit that green that often,” Henley told reporters of No. 18. “It's pretty tough to hit that one, so really happy.”

          His day got off to a slightly unsettling start, Henley settling for par after his 8-foot birdie try lipped out. Then an 11-footer for birdie on 2 was a hair left.

          But the day got bright when he drilled a 25-footer for a birdie on No. 3.

          Four straight pars followed, and the birdies on 8 and 11. He missed a 10-footer for birdie on 10, and was three feet away from a hole in one and eagle on No. 16.

          Henley was quite happy with the 4 on the par-5 15.

          “I hit an awful double-cross on 15 off the tee, and just to get the ball back to where I had a wedge in was a really good shot,” he said. “So, really good recovery shot.

          “I was actually about to hit a draw, a pitching wedge, on 15 and Andy, my caddie, said he thought I needed to cut it. So I did, and he was right.

          “I think if I hit a draw, it would have gone over the green. Great call by him, once again.”

          A cut and chip 7-iron on 16 was another solid hole as those final two were ahead.

          “Then 18, kind of the same shot,” said Henley. “A cut 7-iron and somehow hit it close. I don’t hit that green that often. It’s pretty tough to hit that one, so, really happy.”

          Henley entered Saturday with only five sub-70 rounds out of 34 in Augusta, a 67 in the second round in 2023 – en route to a tie for fourth – and fourth round in 2018 his previous best.

          He hit 13 of 18 greens and 11 of 14 fairways, both a hair worse than Friday, but his putting improved.

          “Super calm conditions, and I just felt like I hit my irons great and gave myself a lot of looks for birdie and had some good par saves,” Henley said. “Extremely pleased.”

          And no doubt owner of more confidence, albeit along with a bunch of players who went to bed to dream of a super Sunday surge.

          “The course is gettable,” Henley said. “If I keep playing the way I'm playing, I hope that I can keep moving up.”