Rory McIlroy believes he has left himself too much to do to end his wait for Masters glory despite an impressive 67 in the third round.
The four-time major winner, who is chasing the green jacket at Augusta to complete the set, signed for a five-under score to move to eight under overall.
But as Dustin Johnson pulled clear - 14 under when McIlroy finished, which soon became 15 under - the Northern Irishman acknowledged his hopes may have disappeared with his opening effort of 75.
"If he just plays his game, he's going to get to at least 16. Eight shots," McIlroy said after his round.
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"I'm being a realist here; I just need to go out there tomorrow and shoot a good one and see where it puts me. I have zero thoughts about winning this golf tournament right now."
His plan instead? "Just try to play a good round of golf," he said.
"Just try to do the same thing I've done the last couple of days, go out and try to hit every fairway, try to hit every green, try to make a birdie on every hole if you can.
"You're just trying to shoot the best possible score. That's the way to win golf tournaments, just keep doing that day after day. That's what I'm going to try to do.
"As I said, I think I've left myself too far back after the bad first day, but I'll go and give it a good effort tomorrow and see where that leaves me."
A second straight round in the 60s. #themasters pic.twitter.com/jIklrUqsXv
— The Masters (@TheMasters) November 14, 2020
McIlroy conceded he had been "tentative" early in the week and expected he would come to regret his poor start to the tournament.
"I think 11 under for the last two days speaks for itself," he said. "The good golf was in there, I just didn't allow myself to play that way on the first 18 holes.
"This course can do that. This course can make you a little bit careful and a little bit tentative at times.
"I've always said I play my best golf when I'm trusting and freer. I've been a lot freer over the last 36 holes.
"I try to view everything as a learning experience, but I'll look back at that and rue some of the shots that I hit and some of the thought-processes I had and just try to learn from it and be better the next time."
The iconic Georgia course has repeatedly proven McIlroy's undoing, but he recognises it should not have been such a problem.
He said: "The Masters and Augusta National have some of the coolest traditions in our game. Of course, you want to be a part of that for the rest of your life if you can.
"Winning the Masters would be cool, winning the grand slam would be cool, and there's a lot of great things that come along with that.
"But at the end of the day, you have to try to simplify it as much as you can.
"It's just a golf tournament, and you're playing against guys you see every week. It shouldn't be that different."