Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington saw their hopes of winning the 73rd Masters fade after both produced disappointing rounds on day three at Augusta.
Despite recovering from dreadful starts it appears that both players have left themselves too much to do on Sunday.
World number one Woods double-bogeyed the par-four 1st en route to a two-under-par 70 to go four under overall.
Harrington, seeking a third straight major, took nine on the par-five 2nd and finished one under after a 73.
Both players will need the leaders to collapse badly if they are to challenge for the title.
Overall I wasn't quite comfortable and hopefully tomorrow I will have it - at least I'm in a position if I play a good round I'll be right there
Tiger Woods
Jack Burke has the greatest final-round Masters comeback for a victory, rallying from eight strokes down on the last 18 holes to win in 1956.
But in the past 18 years, 17 winners have come from the final pairing, with only Zach Johnson in 2007 bucking the trend, the American doing so from the third-to-last group.
However, Woods, bidding for a fifth Green Jacket, remains upbeat.
"Today's as hard as I have ever fought. It was tough out there. I got off to a terrible start but I fought back and got myself back in it," said the 14-time major winner.
Woods, competing in his first major since the 2008 US Open after knee surgery, opened with a double-bogey six as he drove into the trees, missed the green and then three-putted.
After birdieing the 3rd and 9th he bogeyed the 11th but fought tenaciously on the rest of the back nine, and birdies on 13, 15 and 17 sent him into the clubhouse with a slither of hope.
I'm still in the tournament - someone made 11 birdies yesterday so it's possible
Padraig Harrington
"Overall I wasn't quite comfortable and hopefully tomorrow I will have it," he said.
"At least I'm in a position and if I play a good round I'll be right there."
Harrington, who resumed on two under, will be left to rue his quadruple-bogey which came after he comfortably parred the 1st.
But he slightly pulled his drive down the 2nd and it ran down a slope into the trees.
Attempting to get down towards the green, Harrington hit a trunk and his ball rebounded further into trouble.
He was forced to take a penalty drop away from the bushes but his next attempt also hit a tree and went into a ditch.
The 37-year-old eventually sunk a testing second putt to avoid matching the highest score on the 2nd in Masters history - 10s by David Duval three years ago and Sam Byrd in 1948.
"These things happen. Obviously I didn't expect to take a nine at the 2nd but you have to put up with it," Ireland's Harrington told BBC Sport.
"I knew I'd stick in there, there were 34 holes to go and anything can happen - this course gives you opportunities for birdies and eagles."
Harrington battled back with birdies on holes 3, 8 and 9 but back-to-back bogeys followed to send him tumbling back down the leaderboard.
With the conditions still offering the opportunity for low scoring, the three-time major winner was able to claw back a couple of shots on the par-five 13th and par-four 14th.
But it will need a miraculous effort for him to secure a maiden Green Jacket.
"I'm still in the tournament," Harrington added. "Someone made 11 birdies yesterday so it's possible. I played OK after the 2nd but not really good enough.
"I'm just going out there looking to play well, move up the field, and gain some confidence. With guys on 10 and 11 under it seems a step too far to catch the leaders but we're going to try our best tomorrow."
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