Patrick Reed and Ludvig Aberg make Saturday moves at the Masters. Justin Rose drops back

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Patrick Reed says his putter has been “on vacation.” Golf fans who primarily watch major championships and the PGA Tour might have the impression that Reed has been lounging on a beach somewhere, too.

But Reed's putter might be coming home, and it helped him move up the leaderboard at the Masters on Saturday. The 2018 Masters champion shot a 3-under 69 to at least give himself an outside chance of chasing down Rory McIlroy over the last 18 holes.

Reed closed with three birdies over his final six holes. Ludvig Aberg also made a late move, with three straight birdies from Nos. 14-16 in his round of 69. Both were at 6-under 210, six shots behind McIlroy.

Justin Rose went the opposite direction, shooting 75 to fall seven shots back.

They were part of a chasing pack that needs everything to go right at Augusta National on Sunday for a chance at the green jacket. Reed closed with a 68 in 2023 to tie for fourth, his last top-10 finish in a major. He knows that won’t be good enough this time.

“You just never know. But you’d have to expect to go out and play the best round you’ve got,” Reed said. “I’m thinking for me to be able to win this golf tournament, I’ve got to shoot my lowest round I’ve ever shot on Sunday out here.”

Despite having left the PGA Tour for Saudi-funded LIV Golf, Reed has maintained his usual busy schedule, playing individual events on the European and Asian tours. That hasn't stopped him from falling outside the top 100 in the world ranking, but the 34-year-old Reed said his ball-striking may be better than ever.

At his peak, though — and certainly when he won the Masters — Reed was one of the best putters in golf. But he said after his frustrating opening-round 71 that the flatstick has been on holiday.

“It needs to come back. Today it seemed to be kind of — it’s here in Georgia,” Reed said. “It might be in the ZIP code.”

Reed has more to play for than a second green jacket. A high finish could help him get into the rest of the year's majors, starting with the PGA Championship next month, but Reed said he can't be thinking about that.

“You go out and play solid golf, everything takes care of itself,” he said.

Aberg will have a hard time improving upon his finish last year, when only a sublime performance by Scottie Scheffler prevented the Swede from winning in his Masters debut. He closed with a 69 to finish alone in second.

“I think I teed off in the second or third to last group last year, and it was really cool to feel all the buzz and feel all the excitement and nerves and still able to go out and shoot a good score,” Aberg said. “So hopefully we can do that (Sunday) again and see where it ends up.”

Rose began the day with a one-shot lead, and his fall down the leaderboard continued a dispiriting pattern.

The 44-year-old from England has led or co-led five times after 18 holes and three times at the midway point, but in none of those years did he maintain the lead through 54 holes. He did make a Saturday charge in 2017 to tie the lead, only to lose a playoff to Sergio Garcia.

Rose will need a lot of help to add a second major title to the U.S. Open he won at Merion a dozen years ago.

AP Masters coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/the-masters

Justin Rose reacts after missing a putt on the 13th hole during the third round at the Masters golf tournament, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Justin Rose hits his tee shot on the 14th hole during the third round at the Masters golf tournament, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, waves after making a putt on the 14th hole during the third round at the Masters golf tournament, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Patrick Reed hits from the bunker on the 18th hole during the second round at the Masters golf tournament, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Ludvig Aberg, of Sweden, hits his tee shot on the 14th hole during the third round at the Masters golf tournament, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Patrick Reed hits from the fairway on the 15th hole during the second round at the Masters golf tournament, Friday, April 11, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Patrick Reed watches his tee shot on the fourth hole during the third round at the Masters golf tournament, Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — An American pastor who was kidnapped last week by armed and masked men during a sermon in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa was rescued on Tuesday after three of his abductors engaged in gunfire with officials and were killed, police said Wednesday.

The 45-year-old American citizen, Josh Sullivan from Tennessee, has been based in the Motherwell township branch of the Fellowship Baptist Church since 2018 alongside his wife and two children.

The missionary was abducted on Thursday when four men broke into the church. They stole two cellphones from members of the congregation before seizing Sullivan from the pulpit and bundling him out of the building. His truck was found abandoned a few hours later.

A multi-agency task force, including the Anti-Gang Unit and the Serious Organised Crime Unit, took over the investigation. On Tuesday night they approached the location where they suspected Sullivan was being held, a house in KwaMagxaki in the city of Gqeberha, about 20 minutes' drive from the Baptist church.

According to police, a shootout began when suspects in a car parked outside the house tried to escape and began firing at them. Three unidentified suspects were killed, police said.

“The victim was found inside the same vehicle from which the suspects had launched their attack,” Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba said in a statement. “Miraculously unharmed, he was immediately assessed by medical personnel and is currently in an excellent condition.”

The number of kidnappings in South Africa has risen by 264% over the past decade, police data showed.

According to the Institute of Security Studies, a think tank specializing in Africa, kidnapping has become a key tactic in armed robberies and carjackings. In its latest Africa report, the ISS noted that less than 5% of kidnappings in South Africa involve ransom demands.

Since his release, Sullivan, who describes himself as “a church-planting missionary” on his personal website, has been reunited with his wife, Meagan, and their two children.

A man named Tom Hatley, whom Sullivan describes on his blog as a training pastor, posted a picture of Sullivan and his family on Facebook. “Josh has been released,” Hatley wrote.

“Thank you for your support and prayers. Please do not stop praying for the Sullivans,” his post read.

South African Police Service, South African law enforcement officers walk inside a yard of the house where an American missionary Josh Sullivan was being held in KwaMagxaki, Gqeberha, South Africa, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo)