When Ryuji Imada rolled in a par putt on Augusta National's 16th hole Saturday, a fellow Georgia Bulldog in the crowd let loose a mighty "Go, Dogs!"

Ryuji Imada tips his hat on the seventh green, the site of one of his two birdies. (Annette M. Drowlette/Staff)

Would barking be considered good form on a golf course?

"When a fellow Bulldog does something well, I don't see why not," Imada said with a grin after his third round Saturday.

The Masters Tournament rookie shot even-par 72 to complete his round where he started it, at 1-over for the tournament.

Had it not been for a poor run of putting, Imada could have been well under par for the day. He birdied twice on the front nine to make the turn at 2-under for the afternoon but gave both strokes back when he three-putted on Nos. 12 and 13.

"You can't really give yourself those short four- and five-footers and expect to make them all," Imada said.

"I got a little bit aggressive on 12 and thought maybe if I could just get a birdie there, I've got two more par-5s coming. I thought I could get a good number there, but instead I three-putted, and that kind of changed the momentum."

Imada had numerous birdie opportunities on the closing holes that could have gotten him back into the red.

"I made the turn at 2-under and shot just what I needed on the front nine," Imada said. "I haven't really taken advantage of the back nine, even with the conditions.

"The wind's swirling a little bit, but everybody else has been taking advantage of the back nine this week, so I haven't done that this week."

The 1999 Georgia all-American, who helped lead the Bulldogs to their first men's golf national title, has played Augusta National Golf Club numerous times but said his excitement about the course hasn't diminished.

"This is the place that I've always dreamed about playing, and (if) I come here 50 times like Gary Player, even then I'll still be excited to come back here," he said.