Weather suspends Masters third round as Bennett sits 7 strokes back

Until tomorrow.

For the first time all week, it was apparent Texas A&M’s Sam Bennett is only an amateur during his third round at the 2023 Masters Tournament on Saturday.

Through six holes, Bennett is 2-over-par for the penultimate round, moving him to 6-under for the weekend. Play was suspended at 2:15 p.m. CT due to inclement weather as steady rainfall soaked the course.

Action will resume on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. CT with the final round expected to follow at 11:30 a.m. CT.

“Hopefully the weather, it’s sunny, and the course is going to be soft,” Bennett said of the Sunday restart. “So I think it's going to be gettable.”

Despite an auspicious start on Saturday, the Aggie remains in striking distance of what would be an unprecedented victory at Augusta National.

Bennett currently sits seven strokes behind leader Brooks Koepka and will continue his hunt to become the first amateur to ever win the Masters tomorrow.

At the time of the delay, Bennett remains in third, three shots behind Jon Rahm and one ahead of Patrick Cantlay, Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa and Viktor Hovland.

Cold, wet conditions plagued Saturday’s action, ultimately ending play for the afternoon before Bennett could putt to save par on the par-4 seventh hole.

Rob Schumacher / USA TODAY NETWORK

Umbrellas and rain gear dominated the galleries at Augusta on Saturday.

Bennett’s struggles began on the first hole as he found the sand with his second shot of the day. Consecutive bogeys to start the round dropped the Aggie to 6-under.

With heavier precipitation beginning to fall, Bennett reverted back to his steady style of golf with a string of four straight pars before the horn sounded to suspend play.

“I'm just trying to enjoy it,” Bennett said. “I feel comfortable out there. The bogeys on 1 and 2 weren’t because of nerves. They were simply just bad swings."

Augusta forecasts predict improved conditions as Sunday’s chance for precipitation sits at 18 percent. Warmer temperatures in the mid-60s are expected as well.

Whether this delay helps or hurts Bennett remains to be seen, but he has already made history.

With cuts made following the conclusion of the second round, Bennett is the only amateur still playing. As a result, the Aggie will be honored in Butler Cabin as the 2023 Low Amateur during the Green Jacket ceremony as long as Bennett finishes the final two rounds.

Previous Low Amateurs at the Masters include icons Jack Nicklaus (1960) and Tiger Woods (1995).

But Bennett’s march for something greater must wait.

Until tomorrow.