Casey Wittenberg (Stats | Bio) leaned back, threw his hands in the air and high-fived everyone in reach.

"I just knew by the crowd reaction that it was either going to be close or going in, then everybody put their hands up, and I figured it did go in," Wittenberg said. "It was unbelievable."

Wittenberg had just nailed a 7-iron from 178 yards for eagle on the 10th hole at the Masters Tournament on Saturday. He's 3-over par for the tournament and tied for 20th - the same as Tiger Woods (Stats | Bio) (Stats | Bio), his playing partner from the first two days, and early leader Justin Rose (Stats | Bio) .

Brandt Snedeker (Stats | Bio) , the low amateur after the first round at 1-over par, shot his second 75 in a row and sits at 7-over par for the tournament.

"I only missed one fairway," Snedeker said. "The past two days I didn't hit it well but got away with it. Today, I hit it good and didn't get away with it."

At 19, Wittenberg is the youngest player left in the field, but he's hardly played like it. After shooting 4-over-par 76 in the first round, he shot even-par in the second and 1-under par in Saturday's third round. His score Saturday was better than more than half the players.

To make the cut Friday, Wittenberg had to make par or better on No. 18, something only about half the 93-player field did. He made par to finish on the cut line at 4-over.

"When I walked off the 18th green yesterday, Tiger goes 'Congratulations, your first Masters, your first cut,' " Wittenberg said. "So you can't describe how much pressure you're feeling, or at least I was feeling, coming down the stretch yesterday. I was kind of almost relieved to a point to even be here today, so I'm just trying to take advantage of the opportunity."

Six players who went into No. 18 on Friday needing only par to make the cut bogeyed the hole. Defending champion Mike Weir (Stats | Bio) and previous champs Raymond Floyd and Craig Stadler (Stats | Bio) were among those who failed to do what Saturday's low amateur did.

"I tried to stay as calm as I can," said Wittenberg, who finished second at the U.S. Amateur to Nick Flanagan (Stats | Bio) , who missed Friday's cut. "I feel like if I can control my insides, I'll play pretty well from the outside physically. Today I played really comfortable."

The speed of the greens has caused Wittenberg the most trouble so far. He misjudged the green at No. 12 and ended up three-putting from 40 feet for his second bogey of the day. He bogeyed No. 13, too, after landing in the water. But he birdied No. 15 to get back to 1-under for the round.

The most realistic goal for the teen is low amateur, which would mean dinner with this year's Masters champion and Augusta National members tonight.

"I'm sure (today) will be the hardest round," Wittenberg said. "I'm sure the pin placements will get more difficult, and it's Sunday, so everybody's nose is to the grindstone."

Wittenberg said he wasn't going to do anything different after Saturday's round.

"I'm just going to go home, sit on the couch and watch TV and act like a kid, a bum, and come out here tomorrow morning and grind it out as much as I can," he said.

Reach Kristy Shonka at (706) 823-3219 or kristy.shonka@augustachronicle.com.