Adam Scott will take a four-shot lead into the final round of the Talisker Australian Masters as he bids to become the first player since Greg Norman in 1990 to win consecutive Gold Jackets.

History beckons the Masters champion as a win at Royal Melbourne this week will set him up for a shot at the ‘Aussie Slam’ – winning the Australian PGA, Masters and Open – in one season. His win at the PGA last week laid the foundation. A second Australian Masters win will have him at almost unbackable odds to end his year with a win at the Australian Open in Sydney starting on November 28.

Of course, he also has the opportunity to become the first player to win in four consecutive weeks on the Aussie Tour as he will contest the World Cup of Golf, again at Royal Melbourne, alongside Jason Day next week.

Adam Scott pumps his fist after making a birdie during the third round at Royal Melbourne. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

All this might seem fanciful talk, but Scott is in career-best form as he continues his Masters victory tour with the coveted Green Jacket. Consider this … since arriving back in Australia on the eve of the PGA Championship on the Gold Coast, the World No.2 has played 126 holes of competitive golf and made just six bogies – those blemishes easily offset by 30 birdies and two eagles.

His five under 66 on Saturday afternoon was, again, a clinical display of pure ball-striking that was, most of the time, supported by a more than capable putter.

Through the hardest part of the course – the long trio of par-4s closing out the front nine – Scott made it look easy with birdies on each, which helped him to a four-shot lead. But three-putt bogies at the 11th and 12th holes gave his chasers a glimmer of hope.

Among them is three-time major champion Vijay Singh, who has found a new lease of life in his putting stroke to match his ball-striking.

The 50-year-old had just 28 putts for the second straight day at Royal Melbourne and hit all 18 greens in regulation, all of which helped him card an eight under 63. His round contained seven birdies and an eagle on the par-5 15th.

“I didn’t play any different than I did the first two days,” Singh, who is looking for his first regular Tour win since 2008. “I just managed my game much better.

“I started to hit my irons good. The first day was my caddie’s second round of golf over here, so we hit a few wrong clubs off the tees on the first day but I kind of controlled it yesterday a little better and today was much better.

“I know the golf course well enough. Once I get going, you know, I remember a lot of things but I haven’t played here in 12 years so I’m just kind of getting used to it again.”

The big Fijian said his form over the past five years had been badly affected by injuries but he’s feeling much healthier these days.

Vijay Singh hit all 18 greens in regulation en route to carding an eight under 63. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

“After 2008 I had a couple of operations on my knee so that kind of got me back two years,” he said. “Then you start to limp and your whole body kind of reacts differently and I started to have a lot of back aches, back problems and, just last year, it started to get better.

“Now I’m much stronger, healthier and so hopefully, you know, I’m good enough to play the way I know how to play.”

Singh will play in the final group tomorrow with Scott, who claimed some late birdies – at the 15th and 17th holes – to hold the 54-hole lead by four shots at 14 under. His rounds of 67-66-66 continue his streak of sub-par rounds stretching back to the third round of the US Tour Championship in late September.

“It’s a long day tomorrow and there are some scores to be made out there so if I can stand on the 18th tee with a four shot lead I’ll be happy… but I’m looking forward to playing with the old fella,” Scott laughed. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a hit so it will be like old times.”

A trio of Aussies – South Australia’s Nick Cullen and Victorians Nathan Holman and Matthew Griffin – are all at 10 under in a tie for second. Cullen and Griffin, good mates who play the OneAsia Tour, will play together for the fourth straight day as each bids for their first major Australian win.

Holman will tee up alongside American Matt Kuchar, who finished with a four under 67 but could have signed for a 66 except he threw in a bogey at the final hole.

For full scores go to www.australianmasters.com.au