Kisner sees nothing good in third round 74 at Masters

Kevin Kisner’s satisfaction rating didn’t measure up to the quality of the day.

“Totally just didn’t play well all the way around,” he said after a Saturday 74 dropped him to 40th at 7-over-par. “Putted poorly all day. Three three-putts, two from just off the green. Didn’t make anything for birdie. Making only two birdies, you’re not going to do much.”

Kisner started the day nine shots behind the foursome of leaders and needed to make a run to give himself any chance of contending. But his opportunities quickly slipped away from him.

PHOTOS: Saturday's Third Round

“I had to shoot 5- or 6-under and had my chances, just didn’t do it,” he said. “I missed a 4-footer on 2 for birdie and three-putted 4. Had one burn the edges on 6 and 7 and 9. If those go in, it’s a whole new ballgame.”

While his putting cost him on Nos. 4, 11 and 16, Kisner drove it into the hazard on the 13th and had to take a penalty drop. He couldn’t pinpoint anything that went right outside his lone birdies on the par-5 8th and 15th holes.

“Nothing, to be honest with you,” he said of his strengths Saturday. “I hit a lot of good shots, and when your good shots don’t work out great you don’t shoot under par. That’s basically the story around this place. When you think you hit a good one and it doesn’t work out great, you’re not going to make birdies.”

The Aiken native and former Georgia Bulldog has still never broken par in seven career Masters rounds, his best a pair of even-par 72s in last year’s second and final rounds.

He’d like to make that happen Sunday before he heads down to Harbour Town, where he lost in a playoff two years ago.

“I’m just going to go out and try to make a bunch of birdies,” he said of his final-round gameplan. “That’s all I can do and work towards next week. That’s what we all do every other time we’re not in contention, so why not this week?”