Rory McIlroy, who is struggling with his game a month before The Masters, had a third round 73 at the WGC-CA Championship in Miami on Saturday and remains near the rear of the 68-strong field on six over.
Most weeks McIlroy would have missed the cut with his opening scores of 76 and 73, but in the World Golf Championships there is no cut and so he had to face the wind again.
"It's hard to really push yourself, but I just want to play better," said the world number nine, who on Monday heads to Augusta for three days of practice.
"I know I'll be fine and I can see signs, but I've played in pretty windy conditions the last two weeks and it's tough to get the fundamentals right.
"I'm still hitting a few loose shots. I think I've been getting a little in front of the ball and trapping it."
The 20-year-old Northern Irishman covered the first 11 holes in one under, but then bogeyed the long 12th after pushing his drive and dropped another shot on the 245-yard next after coming up way short of the green.
Overnight leader Ernie Els stretched his lead to two with an opening 17ft birdie putt, but Padraig Harrington missed from under six feet there and remained six under, five behind, after three holes.
Among those making a move, however, was England's Paul Casey. He birdied the third, fifth and sixth and after bogeying the next, holed from 28 feet for eagle at the long eighth.
The world number six, who could go second by winning, was up into a tie for fourth on seven under.
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