Opinion: “Give me back my son” comment headlines Day 3 of 2026 Masters

Mel Gibson (Google Images)

The third day of the 2026 Masters took place on Saturday with Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young in the lead at -11. It was an interesting day of golf to say the least as Young overcame an eight stroke deficit.

However, the most memorable moment of the third round came on the 17th hole after McIlroy  was delivering his tee shot. That is when a patron bellowed, “Give me back my son.” The comment was in reference to a line from a Mel Gibson movie in 1996 called “Ransom.” Now there are significant questions whether or not the patron will be banned for life at the Masters. Spectators are expected to behave and there is a very strict code of conduct. The comment did get McIlroy off his game as he bogeyed the second last hole on the course.

From an athletic perspective, Young was the Saturday story on what is known as Moving Day. He made eight birdies and one bogey to go from four-under-par to 11-under par. Young also enters the fourth round with confidence as he won the Players Championship last month.

The best word to describe McIlroy’s play on Saturday was satisfactory. However, Amen Corner was a significant challenge for the world number two as he went +3 on the three holes including a double bogey on the 11th. However, McIlroy responded with birdies on the 14th and 15th holes before the 17th hole distraction.

There are four other golfers in contention. American Sam Burns is at -10, Irishman Shane Lowry (who had a hole in one on the sixth hole) is at -9, and Australian Jason Day and England’s Justin Rose are tied for fifth at -8.