Spieth takes 1-shot lead into third round

For the sixth consecutive round, Jordan Spieth is in a familiar spot – atop the Masters Tournament leaderboard.

Despite posting 74 in the second round, Spieth saved par on the final hole to retain a one-shot lead entering Saturday’s third round. Spieth tied Arnold Palmer’s record for most consecutive rounds leading the Masters.

The 22-year-old Texan drained a 14-foot putt at No. 18 to enter the halfway point of the tournament at 4-under-par 140. Spieth could become just the fourth golfer to successfully defend his Masters title, joining Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Tiger Woods (2001-02).

Spieth leads Rory McIlroy (71) by one shot, while Danny Lee (74) and Scott Piercy (72) are two shots back. Brandt Snedeker (72), Hideki Matsuyama (72) and Soren Kjeldsen (74) are tied at 1-under. Kiradech Aphibarnrat (72), Danny Willett (74), Shane Lowry (76), Sergio Garcia (75), Dustin Johnson (71), Daniel Berger (71) and amateur Bryson DeChambeau (72) are all at even par.

DeChambeau, playing with Spieth, birdied Nos. 11, 12 and 15 to move to 4-under for the round. He had a chance to pull within one of Spieth at No. 16, but DeChambeau missed a short par putt. It got worse when DeChambeau hit his drive into the left trees at No. 18 and finished with triple bogey.

World No. 1 Jason Day was 2-under through nine holes, but bogeys on Nos. 11, 13 and 18 dropped him off the pace. Day finished with 73 and sits at 1-over. He is tied with two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer, at 58 the oldest player in the field to make the cut after posting 73.

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson kept his Masters cut streak alive thanks to Spieth’s bogeys on Nos. 16 and 17. Watson posted 75 for the second day but made his eighth consecutive Masters cut.

Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson recorded double bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16 en route to 79. He missed the cut at 7-over, along with Augusta’s Vaughn Taylor (77).

Two-time Masters champion Tom Watson, in his final appearance, missed the cut. After opening with 74, Watson posted 78 to finish at 8-over.