Andy Bull on the new champion:
And here’s Ewan Murray’s report from Augusta National:
PATRICK REED IS THE 2018 MASTERS CHAMPION!
The putt drops! He clenches a fist, pumps it, and yells in delight! He takes his cap off, bows, and is congratulated warmly by McIlroy! A round of 71 seals the deal! He wasn’t quite at his best today, but all the hard work had been done with the first three rounds of 69, 66 and 67, and whenever anyone came close to him today, he responded with birdie or stunning par save. He’s the deserving champion ... and a deserving major winner ... but spare a thought for poor Rickie Fowler, who embraced Reed sportingly but has now finished second at the US Open, the Open and now the Masters. That first major remains elusive for Fowler. Oh Rickie!
-15: Reed
-14: Fowler
-13: Spieth
-11: Rahm
-9: Smith, Watson, Stenson, McIlroy
-8: Leishman
-7: Finau, D Johnson
-6: Hoffman, Rose, Oosthuizen
-5: Casey, Henley
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The stage is left to Patrick Reed. The 27-year-old Texan has two putts to win the Masters! He hits a dribbler down the green ... and it misses on the right and sails three feet past. It’s not over quite yet. A short uphill one for the Masters, we’ve all dreamed of it ...
Rory McIlroy finishes up first. A par to end a dismal round of 74. If only that eagle putt on 2 had dropped, this entire story could have been different. But his flat stick went cold, and he’s still got a Masters-shaped hole on his CV, and a green-jacket shaped gap in his wardrobe. He ends the week at -9.
Reed lands his second onto the green from 166 yards. He pulled it slightly, and it’s stayed up on the higher back portion of the green. So he’s got a slippery downhill 30-footer left. But he’s got two putts for the Masters! The gallery rises to acclaim him. Their new champion? Reed should finish this off. He’s been so solid all day ... all week. But the pressure’s really on now.
Rickie prowls around his putt, checking every angle. Finally he strikes it ... and knocks it straight into the cup! The birdie takes him past Jordan Spieth into second spot. A round of 67. He’s one behind Reed. Jon Rahm puts his name to a 69. And back on the tee, Reed clatters a final huge drive straight down the centre of the fairway. It briefly threatens to run into Lyle’s Bunker, but stops short. He’s one good iron shot and two putts away from becoming the 2018 Masters champion!
-15: Reed (17)
-14: Fowler (F)
-13: Spieth (F)
-11: Rahm (F)
Reed’s putt across 17 is the best part of 100 feet. He rattles it straight at the hole, and it hits the cup! It’s going too fast to drop, but the cup takes the pace off the ball and stops it six feet past. That’s a stroke of luck, but it’s reward for his positivity. And he rolls in the par saver, and he’s very close now. That’s a miracle two-putt from where he was! His name is surely on this Tournament ... unless Fowler can convert his birdie chance on 18 to put a little pressure on.
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Henrik Stenson finishes on a high, knocking his second to five feet and rolling in for birdie. That’s his third 70 on the bounce, to go with an opening-day 69, and he ends the week -9. Tommy Fleetwood finished with a very disappointing 74; he’s -4. They clear out of the way, to let Rickie Fowler send his final iron into the green. And it’s a peach, biting eight feet from the hole!
Up on 18, the two-time champion Bubba Watson completes a very satisfactory week by signing for a 69. He’s -9 for the Tournament. Back on the tee, Fowler lashes an almost perfect drive down the centre of the fairway. And on 17, Reed’s second is not very good at all, only just creeping onto the front left of the green. The flag is all the way over on the other side, across a couple of ridges. That’ll test his putting touch.
Fowler sends a nice putt up towards the hole from the fringe, but it’s never turning right as it needs to. He’ll have to make to with tidying up from three feet for par. Par for Rahm too. Back down the hole, Reed pushes his drive into the second cut down the right. He should be OK for his second shot, he’s not quite as wide as the row of trees. Fowler needs a birdie down the last, because Reed is closing in now.
-15: Reed (16)
-13: Spieth (F), Fowler (17)
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Reed thinks he’s made his birdie putt on 16, but it dies to the left at the very last turn. He stays two clear of Spieth and Fowler at -15, with two to play. Fowler needs a strong finish. But his second into 17 topples back off the front of the green. At the very least, he needs to get up and down, and see what happens down 18. “Nobody cavorts like Jack did,” declares Simon McMahon. “As distinctive in its own way as the raised arm of Denis Law or Joe Jordan, the raised finger of Dennis Taylor or Alex Higgins, the raised knee of Bruce Forsyth, the raised lip of Shakin’ Stevens, and the raised eyebrow of everyone’s favourite Bond, Roger Moore.”
Reed looks determined to close this out. He fires his tee shot at 16 straight at the flag. It stops 15 feet short of the cup. A chance for birdie; more importantly, there’s now no chance for watery disaster. He’s been magnificent today, holding the field at arm’s length for most of the afternoon, and pressing on the gas when Spieth momentarily caught him. He’s just got to keep calm and he should close this out. Though at the Masters, nothing’s ever certain until the cards are checked and signed.
Reed tickles a slightly nervy putt to four feet. He’s left with a tricky downhill tiddler, but knocks it straight into the middle of the cup. Nerveless? Not quite: he’s breathing quite heavily as he walks off the green, trying to calm himself down. But he’s in pole position to claim his first major. Fowler threatens to run him close, though: he splashes smartly out of the bunker at 16, sending his ball over the flag and letting the slope do the work to bring it back to the hole. He taps in for par.
-15: Reed (14)
-13: Spieth (F), Fowler (16)
-11: Rahm (16)
-9: Smith (F), Watson (17), McIlroy (15)
Jordan Spieth screeches a wedge to ten feet. Sadly, his putt to equal the course-record of 63 stays high on the left. Bogey is such a disappointing end to his round, but that’s a spectacular final-day 64 which sets a clubhouse mark of -13. A huge ovation from the Augusta gallery as he wanders off to the marker’s hut. That was a Homeric effort. Will it be enough? Because back on 15, Reed lays up but sends a nervous wedge just over the back of the green. He’s only marginally off, mind, so will be putting from there. And on 16, Fowler finds the bunker front left.
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On 18, Cameron Smith is inches away for a birdie that would have brought him back in 29. He taps in for a par, and a 66. He ends the week at -9. Back down the hole, Spieth pearls a fairway wood up towards the green, but he’ll be left with a chip from 50 yards, and he needs to get up and down to equal the course record and set a clubhouse mark at -14. Meanwhile Fowler is on the 15th in two. He’s got a long eagle putt, and gives the 60-footer a trundle. It races six feet past. But he knocks in the return for birdie, and he’s two back at -13. Rahm can’t scramble his par, though, and drops to -11. His grim look suggests he knows his bid has fallen short.
Spieth’s tee shot at 18 clips an overhanging branch down the left, and drops straight down. He’ll have a long, long second into the green. He’ll probably not reach the putting surface. He can still make four, but three looks a pipe dream. Meanwhile back on 15, Reed’s tee shot skirts down the left. It’s on the fairway, but he might not want to risk a hook round the trees to go for the green in two.
Rahm might be spent, too, because his second into 15 hits the bank on the far side of the water, and topples back into the drink. This hole caused his compatriot Sergio so much pain earlier in the week ... now a second Spaniard looks to have succumbed to its watery grave. He could still scramble par, of course, but holes are running out.
-15: Reed (14)
-14: Spieth (17)
-12: Fowler (14), Rahm (14)
Spieth’s birdie effort on 17 slips by on the high, right side. He’ll remain at -14, and will need something up 18 you’d have thought. Because back on 14, Reed rolls in his birdie putt, and he’s once again the leader of this Tournament! McIlroy rolls his long one to three feet, but then misses the tiddler, which just about sums up his performance today. His putting has been appalling, and his race is run.
Aside from the small matter of this year’s green jacket, Jordan Spieth just needs one more birdie to break the course record. He sets himself up by knocking his second at 17 to 20 feet. Meanwhile back on 14, Reed caresses his approach to eight feet. That is wonderful, given he’s under serious attack from Spieth. McIlroy finds the green in regulation, but it’s a fair way from the flag. He’s the only player in the top 25 over par for his round.
Patrick Reed: the Tom Weiskopf de nos jours? Nicklaus’s birdie at 16 in 1975 shook Weiskopf; now Reed chips ten feet short from the bank on 13 and can’t knock in the birdie putt. Par, which means he’s still only tied for the lead. McIlroy makes birdie but at -10 it’s surely too late for him. Rahm birdies 14, and now he’s just two behind at -12. Meanwhile birdie for Smith at 17, his sixth in the last eight holes since the turn! He’s -9.
-14: Spieth (16), Reed (13)
-12: Fowler (14), Rahm (14)
-10: McIlroy (13)
Spieth’s 8-iron into 16 is well short of the flag. He’s left with a 33-foot putt for his birdie. And in it goes! A right-to-left slider and perfectly paced! It’s not totally dissimilar to the putt that effectively won the 1975 Masters for Jack Nicklaus! That is absurd! He doesn’t cavort like Jack did, but does look at his caddy as if to say: did that really happen?! You’ll be seeing that one again! He’s now the joint leader of the 2018 Tournament!
-14: Spieth (16), Reed (12)
-12: Fowler (13)
Rory sends his drive at 13 into the second cut down the right. He does very well to lash a long iron into the heart of the green. He desperately needs eagle now. He’s got a 35-foot chance. Then a huge stroke of fortune for Reed! He hits a heavy second towards Rae’s Creek! But the ball sticks on the bank on the far side, and he stays dry! For a second that looked like a real game-changer ... actually, speaking of which ...
Birdie for Rahm at the par-five 13th. That was fairly easy and basic, having found the green in two ... though Fowler matches his effort in more roundabout style, shooting his second into the swale to the back left of the green, then bundling a wonder chip across a treacherous slope to eight feet, and knocking in the putt. Meanwhile Cameron Smith makes it four birdies in a row at 15 ... then nearly cards a fifth in sensational style. His tee shot is poor, and flirts with the water, but sticks in the bank. Then he hits a gorgeous and intelligent wedge, over the flag, using the bank to bring the ball back towards the hole. It looks like trickling in, but stays an inch out on the right, and it’s just par. But he’s -8 now.
-14: Reed (12)
-13: Spieth (15)
-12: Fowler (13)
-11: Rahm (13)
-9: McIlroy (12)
“COME ON!!!!” McIlroy’s putt at 12 sails harmlessly past the cup. Another par when he really needs birdies. And then Reed rolls his unerringly into the cup! No messing! This brilliant 27-year-old Texan keeps bouncing back, every time he slips up! Hence the big COME ON. A birdie which ensures he stays in the lead ... because up on 15, Spieth makes his birdie putt. Spieth stays on Reed’s tail, though.
-14: Reed (12)
-13: Spieth (15)
-11: Fowler (12)
-10: Rahm (12)
Reed finds the back of the green at 12. So does Rory. Neither tee shot is all that, but at least they’ll both be putting. The quality of golf in this final pairing is pretty poor: of all the challengers, they’re the only ones not under par. They’re the only ones over par. Meanwhile Spieth finds the 15th green in two. He’s left with a 60-footer across the green ... and leaves it a good eight feet short. Will he pass up the chance to make birdie?
Reed bumps a wonderful wedge to seven feet. McIlroy clanks a clumsy one a similar distance past. Reed’s par putt lips out; he drops back towards the chasing pack. Rory really needs to make his ... but he pulls it to the left. His putter is stone cold. His bid is as good as over, surely, because he just isn’t making a single thing on the greens. Meanwhile Rahm’s 20-foot slider along 12 dies to the left; par. Fowler makes no mistake from 10 feet, though, and having been quiet in the early stages today, his bid is alive and very real! And on 15, Dustin lets an eagle putt from 12 feet slip by on the right. What a chance to really close in on the leaders. But that’s birdie, and he’s still in this! And look at this leaderboard!
-13: Reed (11)
-12: Spieth (14)
-11: Fowler (12)
-10: Rahm (10)
-9: D Johnson (15), McIlroy (11)
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Reed isn’t quite in the trees, but he can’t go for the green. He punches down the hill, and will hope to get up and down from 50 yards. McIlroy can’t take advantage, though, pushing his second down the swale to the right of the green. That is very poor. Over on 12, Fowler and Rahm find the green and will be looking at birdie putts again. And Cameron Smith has put a good run together: the 24-year-old Aussie prospect has birdied 10, 12, 13 and now 14, and he’s -7, looking at a high finish and another visit next year.
Rahm’s effort from 40 feet stops just shy of the cup. Par. Fowler is having a look from half that distance. It slides by on the high side to the right. Par. On 13, Bubba lashes his second into the green and strokes in the eagle putt: he’s -8. Up on 14, Spieth finds the centre of the green in two, but can’t steer in his birdie effort from 20 feet. And Tony Finau’s run of birdies comes to an end, by the width of a ball on 18. Par, and he’s back in 31, signing for a 66. What a brilliant performance after nearly suffering serious injury on Wednesday as he celebrated that hole-in-one during the par-three contest. He ends the week at -7, and has a good chance of a very high finish and a place in next year’s Tournament.
Reed hoicks a wild drive into the trees down the right of 11. A chance for McIlroy to start fighting back? He blooters a drive down the middle of the fairway, anyway. Much will depend on what’s happened to Reed’s ball. Down on the green, Rahm and Fowler both find the dancefloor in regulation, and will have looks at birdie.
Tony Finau, who very nearly didn’t make it this week after dislocating his ankle during the par-three contest, has just carded six birdies in a row between 12 and 17. Now there’s a run he could sell to anyone in the leading pack for a cash sum. He’s -7, just off the pace. Back on 10, Reed and McIlroy make pars. McIlroy will be happier, since he’d left himself a long two-putt, the result of finding the second cut with his drive, while Reed didn’t quite make a 20-foot uphill birdie chance, one turn shy of pace. But the bigger picture will please Reed: he’s now just eight holes from home, with a four-shot advantage over his partner. He’ll be worried more about Spieth right now. Can McIlroy respond with some magic? He’ll need to do something soon if he’s to give Reed something to think about.
Jordan Spieth drives into the pine needles down the right of 13 ... then creams a fairway wood onto the green, straight at the flag, that compares with Phil Mickelson’s famous clatter from a similar position in 2010! That’s a real seize-the-day moment! What a stunning shot! He’s arrowed that to 12 feet from 230 yards! What an eagle chance he’s set himself up. Will he get the reward for such bravery and brilliance? No. He sets it off to the left, and it’s never turning back. He rises to -12, mind. For the record, Mickelson never made eagle after that shot, either. Another birdie for Dustin Johnson, by the way, now at 14. So he’s keeping himself on the fringe of the action.
-14: Reed (9)
-12: Spieth (13)
-10: Fowler (10), Rahm (10), McIlroy (9)
-8: D Johnson (14)
They’ve just shown a montage of Rory’s travails with the putter on the front nine. To recap: he’s missed very makeable putts at 2, 3, 5, 8 and 9. And he trails Reed by four. It doesn’t take a genius. Meanwhile another birdie for Dustin Johnson, this time at 13: he rises to -7, which is three behind the leading pack.
Reed lands his third 15 feet past the flag, a clever shot as it allows the slope of the green to take his ball back to tap-in distance. What a par save! And he’s further boosted when McIlroy leaves his short birdie putt high on the right. The flat stick is costing McIlroy. You can’t keep putting like this and expect to win the Masters. A shame, because he was rolling them in from everywhere yesterday. But he’s lost his mojo, and perhaps more importantly, his confidence. His race isn’t yet run, but he needs to buck himself up quickly, because he’s letting too many chances slip by, and Reed doesn’t look in the mood to do anything stupid.
The astonishing Jordan Spieth is now Patrick Reed’s closest rival! He trundles in a gentle-left-to-right slider from the apron at the back of 12, and the hole that’s caused him so much pain pays him something back! He’s -11, three off Reed’s lead ... and Reed’s just left his second short at 9 ... and watched in horror as his ball rolls off the front of the green and back down the fairway! Meanwhile McIlroy lands his second well behind the flag, then spins it back pin high, leaving a 12-footer across the green for birdie! What’s that they say about the Masters only starting around the turn on Sunday, again?!
-14: Reed (8)
-11: Spieth (12)
-10: Fowler (9), Rahm (9), McIlroy (8)
Hole-in-one at 16 for Charley Hoffman! He skelps his tee shot straight at the flag. Well, a little to the left. It takes one bounce off the tilt of the green caused by the back of the bunker, and rolls unerringly into the cup! Hoffman cavorts with a huge grin on his face, as the crowd go loco! That’s the 12th hole-in-one at 16 on Sunday in the last 16 years! And one of the simplest. The ball lands with a bang, takes one jump to the right, and rolls in! He’s -6 after a great run today: birdies at 2, 3, 7 and 15, bogey at 11, and now this!
Spieth sends his tee shot at 12 into the light stuff at the back of 12. But he’s over the drink this year without his ball disappearing into the blue vagueness, and he holds his arms aloft in victory, earning a cheer from the gallery for his good humour. That’s a lovely moment. Meanwhile back on 9, Fowler wedges his second over the flag. The ball spins back to four feet, and that’s back-to-back birdies for the popular Californian. He’s -10.
Reed sends his third into 8 to ten feet. A great uphill chance for birdie. But he pushes it. Just the par, but never mind: McIlroy can only send his third, a long iron, to the swale to the right of the green. He trundles a hot chip six feet past, and can’t stroke in the one coming back. All of a sudden, Reed’s lead is four, and McIlroy is back in the pack! He doesn’t look happy right now at all. He’s never been quite on it today, from the get-go. That eagle yip on 2 won’t have helped, mind.
-14: Reed (8)
-10: Spieth (11), Rahm (8), McIlroy (8)
-9: Fowler (8)
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Spieth doesn’t hit his fairly straightforward putt (by the standards of Augusta) for once. His ball stops a couple of feet short of the cup, and that’s just a par. Meanwhile Stenson drops a shot at 9, which means he’s out in level-par 36. At -7, his race is run. Birdie for his partner Fleetwood, his first of the day, but after bogeys at 2 and 7, he’s -5 and well out of contention.
Spieth knows this Masters could be his, if he continues like this and posts a score. The best comebacks in Masters history were made by Jack Burke Jr., in 1956 and Gary Player in 1978; both were eight back going into the final round. Spieth trailed by nine at the start of the day. So he launches an arrow straight at the flag on 11 from the top of the hill. Not a concern for the water to the left. It’s a beauty, and he’ll have an uphill putt from 25 feet for another birdie!
A sad end to Paul Casey’s round: a three-putt par on 18. That’s a bogey-bogey finish, and he’ll have to make do with a 65. Make do with a 65 at Augusta! Anyway, he’s risen up the leaderboard to -5, having carded 69-65 at the weekend. Shame about the 74-75 start. Back on 8, Fowler makes birdie after wedging to a couple of feet; Rahm saves his par. They’re -9 and -10 respectively. And further down the hole, McIlroy is forced to chip out from the pines, while Reed lashes up the fairway from the bunker.
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Reed finds a fairway bunker down the right of 8 with his drive. McIlroy wangs a wild one into the trees down the same side. Up the hole, Rahm is in bother, having hooked his second into trees on the left. His punch out isn’t all that, but he chips close with his fourth and scrambles a par.
Spieth pars 10, though he’s only inches away from curling in a huge right-to-left breaker up the green for a birdie on the hardest hole on the course. At -10 he’s four behind Reed, though, as the big man taps in to convert his birdie. What can Rory do by way of response? Well, his chip takes a huge bounce to the left, off the shoulder of a bunker, but he rolls in the four footer that remains. That’s a good par from where his drive ended up, but he won’t be feeling that great as a result of Reed’s brilliant second.
-14: Reed (7)
-11: McIlroy (7)
-10: Spieth (10), Rahm (7)
Bubba’s been quiet, after bogey at 4 and birdie at 5. But he knocks his second at 9 to four feet and makes the birdie putt. He turns under par for his round, and -7 for the Tournament. Back on 7, Reed finds the second cut down the left; Rory finds the long stuff down the right. Rory has the additional problem of overhanging branches. Reed’s up first, and he sends a beauty into Webb Simpson Country. His ball lands in the centre of the green and is gathered back towards the hole. For a second it looks like going in for eagle, but stops just on the right. Reed will kick in to move back to -14. Rory by comparison will be struggling to reach the green at all thanks to the branches over his head. He can only punch out ... and very nearly threads a stunning punch onto the green, between the two bunkers guarding the front. It doesn’t quite make it, but he’ll at least have a chance to get up and down to save his par. But for now, this is very much advantage Patrick Reed, who keeps responding to mistakes with moments of sheer brilliance.
Paul Casey’s bid to alter the record books takes a huge blow. He sends his second at 17 into a bunker at the front of the green, and his splash out is way short of the hole. He can’t make the par saver ... in fact he leaves himself plenty of work to do for bogey, the putt trundling four feet past. But he knocks it in. A birdie up the last, and he’ll at least equal the course record of 63 held by Nick Price and Greg Norman.
Rahm joins Spieth in a tie for third! He was worried his approach at 7 was going to land in the bunker. But it dropped just over, and then turned towards the hole on the right. In goes the 12-foot birdie effort, and he’s -10. This is really hotting up now! And we’ve not even got to Amen Corner yet. Meanwhile Dustin Johnson rakes a birdie putt home across 10: after birdie at 9, he’s -6.
Jordan Spieth, ladies and gentlemen! He turns his right-to-left birdie putt into the cup at 9! He reaches the turn in 31! He’s -10, and very much a live prospect now. Especially as Reed trundles his long putt 12 feet past the flag, and doesn’t make the one coming back. Rory leaves his one short, which gives him an uphill putt. In it goes. That’s a staunch save. But look where Spieth is, all of a sudden! What a competitor the young Texan genius is!
-13: Reed (6)
-11: McIlroy (6)
-10: Spieth (9)
-9: Rahm (6)
-8: Stenson (7), Fowler (6)
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Poor tee shots at the par-three 6th by both Reed and McIlroy. Reed is miles left, McIlroy short, with the pin at the back right. Both are on the green, though. Spieth knocks his second at 9 past the flag, allowing the slope to bring the ball back to 12 feet. He’s really making his presence felt. And a bounceback birdie for Justin Rose at 10: it followed a double at 9, the result of coming a cropper at the bottom of the bank at the front of the green, and taking three to chip up. He’s -5.
Rahm creams his tee shot at 6 pin-high to ten feet. But he lets the birdie putt slide by on the right. Fowler is chipping his second across the green ... but gives it too much check. He’s left with a crucial par - and momentum - saver. And in it goes! Birdie meanwhile for Stenson at 7, to offset a shot dropped at 6.
-14: Reed (5)
-11: McIlroy (5)
-9: Spieth (8), Rahm (6)
-8: Stenson (7), Fowler (6)
-7: Casey (16)
Casey saves his par on 16! He splashes out delicately, 12 feet past the flag, and uses the gradient to bring his ball back to five feet. He hits his putt straight, hard and firm, and in it drops! One more birdie! Can he make it for the course record? McIlroy bumps a chip up the big green to four feet. That’s a wonderful shot from where he was, well short of the green. But he dribbles a weak effort off to the right of the cup, and he keeps handing his birdies back. Reed rolls his long putt up to a similar distance, and makes no mistake. It’s as they were on the 1st tee again. But Reed is five holes closer to the holy grail.
Casey pulls his tee shot at 16 into the bunker between the water and the green on the left. He’ll have quite a splash out of sand, with little dancefloor to work with. All of a sudden, that 63 doesn’t look so simple. Back on 5, Rory’s ball is nestling against the first cut. He doesn’t connect well, and leaves his second short of the green. That’ll be a test to save par. Reed comes up short too, from the middle of the fairway, but at least he’s on the green. And Spieth will surely make birdie on 8 after wedging his third to a couple of feet. He’ll move to -9. He’ll be four under for his round today ... and suddenly only five off the lead. With Reed and McIlroy looking nervous ... well, you never know. The 2015 champion is in the mix now!
McIlroy sends another drive out to the right, this time at 5. He just about holds the fairway. Reed splits it. Up the hole, Fowler balloons his second through the green, then nearly chips back through it. He’s left with a long two putts for bogey, and does very well to make it. He drops back to -8, though it could have been worse. His partner Rahm also makes a two-putt from distance, but his is for par. He stays at -9.
Casey has a 40-footer across 15 for eagle. He strokes it to 18 inches, and knocks the birdie putt in. He’s now -7 for the Tournament ... and if he pars home, he’ll equal the course record of 63! One more, and he’s making all sorts of history. He’s just gone birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie-eagle! And it all started with a chip-in on 11. All inspired by Jeff Knox making birdie there in front of him yesterday. Sort of.
Reed rolls in his tricky par putt with supreme confidence. That shows grit after a poor first effort. McIlroy meanwhile had waited a long time to knock in his short birdie putt. After costly misses on 2 and 3, you can forgive his nerves a-jangling. But he knocks it straight into the cup. That’s a fine bounceback after a couple of disappointments.
-14: Reed (4)
-12: McIlroy (4)
-9: Fowler (9), Rahm (4)
-8: Spieth (7), Stenson (5)
On 4, Rahm can’t get up and down from sand at the front and slips back to -9. Coming behind, Reed can only send his tee shot onto the front fringe, and his long putt up breaks off to the left and leaves a tricky, dribbly six-footer for par. McIlroy by contrast has whipped his tee shot to three feet! Meanwhile on 7 Spieth sends his second into the green Webb Simpson style, but misses a short birdie putt and remains at -8.
Another birdie for Paul Casey, at 14, and he’s -6. More pertinently, he’s already eight under par for his round today. Pick up two more shots, and he’ll be signing for a course-record 62, beating the mark of 63 set by Nick Price in 1986 and matched by Greg Norman ten years later. Can he match the new major-championship record set by Branden Grace at Birkdale last year? Or even beat it? He’s just landed his second at the par-five 15th onto the green, so there’s a chance all right!
Rory has a treacherous chip up the big, steep bank and onto the small portion of the green where the flagstick is planted. He does exceptionally well to lob his ball to ten feet. He’ll need to hole that, because Reed sends a hot putt straight at the cup ... and pumps his fist as it drops! Lucky the hole got in the way, eh, but hats off to Reed for accuracy! And it’s spooked Rory, who misses his par putt. Suddenly the gap is two, and that missed eagle chance looks even more expensive: they’re back to where they started!
-14: Reed (3)
-11: McIlroy (3)
That eagle miss has taken the wind out of McIlroy’s sails. He hits a good tee shot down the middle of 3, but his wedge onto the green is short and spins back down the green at the front. He’ll have a tricky up and down from there. Reed sends his second over the flag, but just off the back. He’ll have a look at birdie from the fringe, maybe 18 feet away. Up on 4, Rahm dunks his tee shot in the bunker front right, while Fowler knocks his to 12 feet.
Paul Casey is motoring! Birdies at 2, 5, 8, 11 and 12, and now an eagle at 13. He’s seven under for his round, and -5 overall. Birdie for Justin Thomas at 6: he’s -6. And on 3, Rahm wedges his second to five feet, and tidies up for his second birdie today: he’s -10, and just three off the lead!
-13: Reed (2)
-12: McIlroy (2)
-10: Rahm (3)
-9: Fowler (3)
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Tiger is coming up 18. He finds the heart of the green, but his ball doesn’t spin back down the ridge Sandy Lyle style. An anti-climactic three-putt later for bogey, and he’s signing for a final-round 69. He finishes his first Masters since 2015 at +1, and smiles warmly; it’s been a good effort, if you set aside the outrageous pre-Tournament expectations.
Reed’s long bunker shot across 2 is fine, trundling to a halt ten feet from the cup. He can’t make his birdie effort, though, and remains at -13. But he remains in the lead, because McIlroy pushes a nervy one to the right of the cup and he has to settle for birdie. What a miss by Rory. It looked as though he rushed that one. Still, he’s closed the gap to Reed further - though he should be tied for the lead.
-13: Reed (2)
-12: McIlroy (2)
-9: Fowler (2), Rahm (2)
-8: Spieth (5), Stenson (3)
-6: Rose (7)
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Birdie for Justin Rose at 7, having nearly holed out from the fairway, Webb Simpson style: he’s -6. And speaking of Simpson, another couple of birdies for the hottest act out there today, at 13 and now 15: he’s -4 for the Tournament but seven under par for his round!
Reed slam-dunks a poor long iron into the bunker to the left of the 2nd green. He’s not started well; an up and down from distance for birdie would serve him well. By contrast McIlroy plays one of the shots of the week, taking the pin on over the sand to the right of the green and landing his second from 200 yards four feet from the cup! That is ridiculous! A glorious shot, and an eagle chance to match!
Up on the 2nd green, Jon Rahm has found the front of the green in two. Instead of putting into the bunker like Bubba, he cradles a 70-footer up to tap-in distance, and that’s an easy birdie. He’s -9. His partner Rickie Fowler has a right-to-left-to-right swerver for his birdie from 25 feet, but par will have to do. He stays at -9. “Nice steady Seve-Par there for Rory at the first,” observes Adam Hirst.
McIlroy larrups his drive at 2 down the left-hand side of the fairway. That’ll settle a few nerves after his opening effort. Reed’s is a nerve-settler too, though he does flirt with the bunker down the right. A sensational second to 5 by Spieth, who brings his ball to a halt a couple of feet from the cup from 200 yards. He’ll knock that in to move to-8. He’s not out of this! And up on 17, Tiger’s dream of finishing in red figures lives on, because he birdies 17 to move to level par for his week’s work. Whatever happens going down 18, this final round will give him more succour going forward as the great man continues his comeback!
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McIlroy makes his par! That’s another preposterous scramble: he made six from six yesterday. Reed meanwhile lags up very well from 50 feet to three, limiting the damage to a bogey. The gap at the top is now just two, and that’s news that’ll reverberate around the course, as it brings quite a few players closer to their dream. Up on 2, Stenson spurns a chance for birdie from six feet. That’s a depressing par. And it’s an even more depressing bogey for Fleetwood, who couldn’t hold his ball on the green from the bunker at the front and suffers as a result.
-13: Reed (1)
-11: McIlroy (1)
-9: Fowler (1)
-8: Stenson (2), Rahm (1)
-7: Spieth (4)
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Reed catches his sand shot far too clean, and his ball very nearly falls off the back of the green! He’s lucky that didn’t trundle down the bank; he’s still got a job to get down in two putts, though. Rory’s ball is plugged, having found the trap from on high. He smashes out to ten feet and gives himself a chance of scrambling par. What a meal these chaps are making of this opening hole. The unique pressure of the Masters, on display right here!
Reed can take a swing at his ball, by a tree down the left of Tea Olive ... but there’s danger on the follow through. He has to stab at his shot to avoid hitting the trunk and hurting himself. He manages to punch his ball up into the bunker front-left of the green, and avoid injury to boot. That’s a result from where he was. See also McIlroy, who is absurdly fortunate to get a route towards the green. Sort of. He lifts a full wedge over the trees, and lands his ball in the same bunker as Reed. Wow. This is not a solid start by the leading pair! Meanwhile Paul Casey tramlines a monster on 11 to move to -2. A rare birdie on that hole, having watched Jeff Knox show him how it was done yesterday!
The final group take to the 1st tee ... and instantly betray their nerves. First up, the leader Patrick Reed, who sends his drive towards the base of a tree down the left. If that’s not bad enough, Rory McIlroy sends a wild one almost straight right! There’s out of bounds over there, so his heart is in his mouth. But he’s got a break, in so much as his ball has stayed within the boundaries of the course. Blimey. Will he have a route out from the pine straw?! The drama didn’t take long, did it. Meanwhile up the hole, Fowler and Rahm find the green in regulation and make a pair of pars.
Disaster for Bubba on 2! The pin’s tucked behind the big bunker at the front right of the green. His ball is at the front. There’s no straight line to the cup along the kidney-shaped green. So he tries to use the camber of the bunker on the right to throw a putt towards the flag - but skirting with the edge of the trap is taking liberties, and his ball topples in! That’s absurd. Putting into a bunker! Of course he splashes out to two feet - delicately, without much green to play with - and salvages par. But still. He stays at -6.
It might not have been Tiger’s week, but the man sure knows how to entertain the galleries. Having birdied 13, he now guides in a huge left-to-right breaker on 15 for eagle! The patrons erupt in delight, and Tiger cracks a huge smile as well, feeling the love rolling towards him from all angles. He’s +1. Meanwhile Branden Grace has just carded four birdies in a row, at 13, 14, 15, and 16: he’s -1 all of a sudden.
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The penultimate pairing is on the tee. Rickie Fowler bashes his drive down the right of the fairway and is very lucky to stop short of the sand. Jon Rahm - who had been standing around with his eyes shut tight, waiting, perhaps praying - blooters his down the left. Up on the green, Tommy Fleetwood leaves himself a monster birdie putt from the front of the green. He leaves it well short. But in goes the six-foot saver. He stays at -6. But his partner Henrik Stenson had sent his second pin high to eight feet, and makes no mistake with the birdie putt. He’s -8. Meanwhile on 4, another birdie for Justin Rose. He’s -5.
Spieth’s eagle effort slides past the left lip, but that’s a birdie-birdie start for the 2015 champion. He’s -7. His partner Justin Thomas can only make a par, but what an eventful one it was: a huge hook into the hazard down the left, a chip out, a third onto the green, a 75-foot putt with a huge left-to-right break lagged close, and in. Then breathe. Hey, Spieth’s given us a reason to update our leaderboard at last...
-14: Reed
-11: McIlroy
-9: Fowler
-8: Rahm
-7: Spieth (2), Stenson
Bubba is one turn of the Titleist away from a birdie start. He’d crashed his drive miles down the middle, only to leave himself a 30-footer for birdie. His aim was dead on, but he didn’t quite give it enough. He stays at -6. Up on 3, Rose has a curly birdie putt from the back of 2, but he can’t quite guide in the big rightwards swinger. He stays at -4. Meanwhile on 2, Jordan Spieth crashes his second into the heart of the green to set up a 25-foot birdie putt. After a couple of hesitant days, he’s clearly in the mood to give this a tilt. Easy to forget he was four clear of the field at -7 after 17 holes of the opening round.
Hideki Matsuyama is going along nicely: birdies at 2, 3, 5 and now 8, with just the one dropped shot at 4. He’s -3 for his round and the Tournament. Charley Hoffman has birdied 2 and 3: he’s up to -3 already. Paul Casey has reached the turn in 33, after birdies at 2, 5 and 8: he’s -3. Birdie for Dustin Johnson at 2: he’s -5. And though Webb Simpson drops his first stroke of the day at 12 to slip back to -2, all of this serves as evidence of Ian Poulter talking sense. With the weather warming up, but the greens staying receptive after yesterday’s rain, the pack chasing Patrick Reed should indeed be “licking their chops”. There’s a score out there for someone.
Doug Ghim signs off in style! The guaranteed winner of the Silver Cup as low amateur - the only amateur to survive the cut - holes out from the bunker at the front left of 18, and earns a hug and a kiss from his dad as player and caddy leap around in celebration! Does that closing birdie beat his eagle from the centre of the fairway on day one? Hard to say, isn’t it. What a choice to have! Delightful scenes, and the young Texan deserves the huge ovation he receives: he’s carded 72-76-74-74 this week, and ends the week very respectably at +8!
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Thanks to Tom. And tell you what, there’s plenty of players who would pay Webb Simpson cash money for his start today. Those eagles at 7 and 8 were something else: his second at 7 landed in the centre of the green from 170 yards, the slope of the green gathering the ball back towards and into the cup, then a chip-in from the side of 8. He’s only the fourth player to card back-to-back eagles in Masters history. Meanwhile birdie for Justin Rose at 2, and he moves to -4.
The Justin Thomas/Jordan Spieth pairing arrives at the first. Thomas his a three-wood towards but not into the trees on the left but finds some rough on the edge of the fairway before Spieth finds the top of the hill in a fairly central position with is tee shot. Thomas’s second shot iswell judged though, to the edge of the green, but is outdone by Spieth whose second with the driver is even better. Thomas’s birdie putt is just skewed slightly to the right of the pin and he must settle for par. Spieth makes no mistake with his though, from an easier distance, and the 2015 champion is underway with a birdie.
Ian Poulter speaks: “I played lovely today, I felt free, and it was one last hurrah to see how many birdies I could make, but a bit frustrated at lack of eagles. A few sloppy mistakes but the good stuff was good which is why I made seven birdies. The course is receptive, typical Sunday pin positions. I think the chasing pack today should be licking their chops.”
Talking of licked-chops, Scott’s back and, I trust, well fed, to talk you through to the keenly-anticipated end.
Mickelson gets himself into the greenside bunker on 18 but chips adeptly out of it onto the green and then drains his par putt to finish on two over. Warm applause follows him off. Back up the leaderboard, Hoffman adds another birdie on the 3rd to move to three-under and Webb Simpson’s charge continues, a birdie on the par-four 10th taking him to -3, having made two eagles on his front nine
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Another couple of finishers – Ian Poulter has signed for a 69, his best round of the week. He was never in contention after his heroics to get here, but he’ll be pleased with his finish. He heads to the clubhouse four-over. Also going round in 69 to finish +4 is Brian Harman.
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Tiger finds a good position on the fairway on 11 and six-irons to the green with a satisfying plonk, but he can’t nail a sinkable putt for birdie and has to settle for par. Woods’s playing partner, Cabrera Bello, drops his first shot of the day here though, drifting back to two over. And another birdie for Mickelson at the 17th – he’s left it all too late, but he’s put on a decent show today: five-under for the round but two over for the tournament.
In the meantime, here’s Neil McLean, going route one on sandwich tips: “Thick cut white bread, butter, extra stong cheddar and a layer of salt and vinegar Pringles on top.”
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An eagle for Webb Simpson on the 7th followed by a birdie on Yellow Jasmine has put him in the red at two under, where he is joined by Matsuyama and Charlie Hoffman, who has birdied the 2nd. Singh meanwhile has signed for a 71, to finish on +7.
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It’s been a fine final round from Phil Mickelson, Lefty has eagled the long par-five 15th to leave himself four-under for the round, +3 overall, while another old-stager having a good day is Bernhard Langer, who’s two-under for the round after successive birdies on 8 and 9 have put him one-over for the tournament.
Tiger’s rollercoaster round continues – a bogey at the 9th while the veteran Vijay Singh has stumbled towards the end, dropping two shots on the 16th. He’s -1 for the round but plus seven overall.
Evening/afternoon everyone, and thanks Scott. Hope you enjoy your ‘burger’. In the meantime, Tiger’s responded to his mis-steps on 7 with a birdie at Yellow Jasmine to move back to three-over overall. None of which will matter much at the business end of things. Further up the leaderboard, Rafael Cabrera Bello has hit his groove, birdie-ing 6 and 8 to move to advance to +1. Webb Simpson too is on something of a charge. A stunning eagle on the seventh has put him level par overall, while Hideki Matsuyama, who began the day on even par, has birdied the 2nd and 3rd to move to two under.
Anyhows, while I’m here feel free to email me here with your observations and cheese sarnie recipes.
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Hideki Matsuyama has been frustrating this week. Steady, but never threatening to break into a charge. An early birdie at 2 today, though, and last year’s PGA nearly man moves into red numbers at -1.
And with that, I’m off to stick my face into a plate of Hamburger Helper, the only MSG-and-sodium flavored food product to be marketed by a singing, grinning, gurning golf glove. You couldn’t get away with the tagline of this advert in these more enlightened days, though gender stereotyping never tasted so good. See you in an hour; in the meantime, Tom Davies will be your host!
Haotong Li came of age at last year’s Open, of course, with that final-day 63 at Birkdale. But the 22-year-old from China will have done his profile no harm with his joyous perambulations around Augusta this week. He led the Masters for a brief moment on Thursday afternoon, knocking his tee shot at 16 to a few feet and making the birdie putt to move to -4, encouraging the patrons to break out into a chorus of Liiiiiiiiiiiii in the Matt Kuchar style. He ended up carding a debut round of 69. It couldn’t last, and he shot 76 on the second day, but he’s entertained the gallery with his good humour and innate showmanship: he’s a very expressive player, wearing his heart on his sleeve. Anyway, an early birdie at 2, the result of a fine up and down from the wrong side of the sand guarding the front right of the green. But then a bogey at 3, after fluffing a chip from the bottom the big bank at the front left of the green. He’s +1, and there’s nobody at Augusta who would begrudge the young man a strong finish.
Tiger’s flat stick has let him down today. He’d sent his second at 7 pin high to six feet, a wonderful approach from a tight spot restricted by a tree to the right of the fairway. But all the good work was undone as he pulled his putt. And then he misses the short one coming back! A three-putt bogey from close range, and he’s back to level par for the day, and +4 overall. “I took the precaution of making two batches of pimento cheese yesterday,” boasts the very wise Richard Sillett. “Roasted red bell peppers, diced, seem to work equally well. Replacing some of the mayonnaise with cream cheese results increases smoothness and decreases life expectancy. I can’t imagine Gary Player has eaten many of them.”
Vijay’s hot streak continues. He makes his third birdie of the day, this time at 13, to move to +5. He’s putting together the best round out there right now: three under for the day. Singh won two PGAs as well as the 2000 Masters: the greats never lose it. Meanwhile Xander Schauffele, more than half Singh’s age, adds birdie at 8 to the one he made at Tea Olive. These two are the only players currently out there at two under or better, because of the aforementioned multiple-birdie-making fast starters, Zach Johnson has bogeyed 4, while Ian Poulter and Phil Mickelson have dropped shots at 11.
A great up and down for Tiger on 6. He’d sent his tee shot well wide right of the green, but bumped a careful chip down a slippery bank and knocked in his four-footer for par. He stays at +3; then his partner Cabrera Bello deals with his birdie business.
The 2012 US Open champ Webb Simpson has enjoyed playing the par-five 2nd this week. Birdie every day. He opens fast for the fourth day in a row, to rise to +2. He’s out with 2007 Masters and 2015 Open winner Zach Johnson: the steady-as-you-like Iowan also birdies 2, and then 3 as well, to move back to level par for the tournament. Meanwhile now it’s time for Rafa Cabrera Bello to bother the pin at a par-three: he lands his tee shot at 6 a couple of feet to the right of the cup, and will surely tidy up for a birdie that’ll take the Spaniard - who briefly led this Tournament earlier in the week - to +2.
There’s nobody tearing it up out there. Phil Mickelson had started off fast, but he’s dropped one at 8, having skirted with trouble all the way down the left of the hole, and taking three putts. He’s reached the turn in 34 strokes, two under for the day and +5 overall. Vijay Singh is also two under for his round, having just added birdie at 10 to the one he made a while back at 2. He’s +6. And Ian Poulter is the only other player on the course a couple of shots to the good today. He’s had a very eventful morning: a birdie at 1 followed by bogey at 3 and double at 5 ... then a run of four birdies in five holes: 6, 7, 9 and 10! He never really had time to prepare for this Masters, having only qualified last Sunday by winning the Houston Open ... but he’s not done badly at all in the circumstances. And being here at all seemed a pipe dream a fortnight ago, so he’ll not be complaining too much. He’s +5, and hopefully his trademark Sunday surge will continue in the name of early-doors entertainment.
Tiger’s iron play is certainly a lot better today: he nearly makes hole in one at the par-three 4th! An iron arrowed straight at the flag. His ball lands a couple of feet in front of the pin, takes a skip forward, and clips the left-hand edge of the cup. It could drop ... but doesn’t, and zips ten feet past. He’ll get a good read at his birdie putt, because his partner Rafa Cabrera Bello is outside him, coming in from a similar line. The Spaniard strokes a fine left-to-right curler into the cup from 18 feet. That’s a birdie that offsets a bogey at the previous hole, and he’s +3. As is Tiger, who having gone to school makes no mistake! An eventful start to Tiger’s round.
Tiger crashes a drive down 3, a hole he usually enjoys at the Masters. His ball rests front left of the green, but he’s got that huge bank to get over, and there’s not a lot of room to play with at the top, because the flag is front left. He wafts at his lob, and the ball stays at the bottom of the slope. His second effort only just makes it, apologetically creeping onto the green. He can’t make the 12-foot saver, and drops back to +4. That birdie handed straight back. This hole location, teetering on the edge by the big bank, might result in quite a few incidents today.
Birdie for Tiger at 2, despite an errant drive down the left of the hole. He got greenside in two, then pitched to a couple of feet. He’s up to +3, and his bid to reach level par - maybe even get into red figures for the week - is on. It really should have been his second birdie of the day, but the flat stick let him down on the 1st. The good news, however, is that his irons seem to be behaving themselves today; he’s struggled with them all week. Better late than never.
It’s been a fine week for the veteran Vijay Singh. Few expected the 55-year-old Fijian to make the cut, but the 2000 champion made it with ease after rounds of 71 and 74. At one point early on Thursday he was leading the Tournament after starting out with birdies at 1, 3 and 4. A birdie-free 79 yesterday was an unwelcome reintroduction to 2018 life, but he’s going well today: one under for his round through 8 after birdie at 2. He’s out first, so he’s out there with a marker. Incidentally, Jeff Knox, the Augusta National member and Masters cult hero, birdied 11 yesterday as marker, a feat beyond all of the players in the field. In fact, only ten players have birdied that hole all week. “It was a brilliant birdie, he’s very good,” his partner of yesterday Paul Casey reported. Any old excuse to post this marvellous profile.
Hatton is out there today with Doug Ghim, the young Texan who, as the only surviving amateur, is guaranteed to win the Silver Cup providing he completes his round. Ghim’s dropped a shot at 3, so he slips to +7. There’s a fair chance he could end the Tournament in last place, but as an amateur there’d be no shame in that, and in any case he’ll be taking away one of the moments of this year’s event, a hole-out for eagle from the middle of the 18th fairway. His dad on his bag, too. Millions of golfers would give anything to experience a moment like that with the old man. Also, Ghim will be in good company as a winner of the Silver Cup. In recent years, it’s been lifted by the likes of Hideki Matsuyama, Ryan Moore, Patrick Cantlay and Bryson DeChambeau. It’s also been won in the past by future champions Cary ‘Doc’ Middlecoff, Jack ‘Golden Bear’ Nicklaus, Gentle Ben Crenshaw, Phil the Thrill, Tiger and Sergio. I hope he’s got a snappy nickname up his sleeve.
Tiger’s second into Tea Olive is a peach. An easy wedge clipped to five feet. But he can’t convert for birdie, the uphill putt lipping out. He makes do with par. He hardly missed a single putt from that sort of length between 1997 and 2008. A long time ago now, I guess. Elsewhere, there’s a fast start for Tyrrell Hatton, who has birdied 1 and 2 to move to -2.
Much was expected of Phil Mickelson, too, despite his advancing years. Lefty’s bid to become the oldest Masters champion in history looked on when he shot an opening round of 70, but he only just survived the cut after a second-round 79. He did well to post 74 yesterday after opening with a whiff in the trees and a triple-bogey down 1, but he set out today at +7, one of the pre-Tournament tips down with the stragglers. He’s the hottest thing out on the course so far today, though: birdies at 2, 3 and 4 catapulting him up to +4. You can’t keep a three-time Masters champion down.
It didn’t quite happen for Tiger Woods this week. One of the pre-Tournament favourites never got going, posting rounds of 73, 75 and 72. The expectation a little too much for a rusty genius. He’s out early today as a result, but that’s not stopped the galleries swarming around him for a close look at a living legend. And it’s not stopped the CBS featured groups cameras trailing him either, so we’ll see plenty of him in these early hours before the real action gets going. He starts at +4 today, and has made it his goal to reach level par for the week. He begins well by splitting the fairway at Tea Olive. But he did that on Friday and Saturday and made bogey both times. Let’s see how this one goes.
Great news: there’s no threat of bad weather today! It’s going to be cloudy in the morning, with the sun hopefully breaking through later on. There’s not going to be much in the way of wind, and what little there is will drop come the afternoon. It’ll be cool all day, though expect noggin temperatures to rise by many degrees around Amen Corner. No rain. In other news, click here to have a gander at today’s pin positions. All very traditional for a Sunday at Augusta National, designed as ever for optimum excitement. Can you wait? Us neither!
Here we go then! Are you all set for one of the greatest days in the sporting calendar? Pimento cheese sandwich made? Sweet tea fixed? Just a quick bit of prep, and we’ll be good to go!
For the sandwich, mix white and yellow sharp cheddar, sliced pimentos and mayonnaise. Spread industrial quantities onto white bread. For the Southern-style sweet tea, place tea bags in a heatproof jar; add boiling water; remove tea bags and add industrial quantities of sugar. Pour over ice. Turn on golf. Keep eye on this report. Put up feet (preferably on porch swing). Relax!
Welcome to Sunday at Augusta National!
Only six men have ever completed the career grand slam in major-championship golf. Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have all collected the set of Masters, US Open, Open and PGA, while Bobby Jones won the US Amateur, US Open, Open and British Amateur titles in the pre-Masters era. It’s an elite club. And it’s one Rory McIlroy can join this evening if he manages to banish the ghosts of 2011 and add a green jacket to his already-stellar résumé.
He’s playing well enough to complete his application. He carded a joint best-of-week 65 yesterday, a round he doggedly kept on track despite at one point finding himself waist-deep in azaleas. He knows he can deliver on Sunday when the pressure is on: forget that meltdown here in 2011, and consider instead his four subsequent major titles, his street-fighting FedEx Cup smash-and-grab in 2016, or the final-round 64 he shot to claim the Arnold Palmer last month. Immortality is within his grasp.
Only problem is, Patrick Reed is playing like a dream. Reed doesn’t have a major championship to his name yet, but everyone’s got to start somewhere, and this could be the moment the 27-year-old Texan finally joins the big league. He came very close at last year’s PGA, shooting 67 at Quail Hollow to push Justin Thomas hard; he was one misjudged putt from making a play-off at the Valspar last month. And he’s been nothing short of sensational here this week: an opening-day 69, a 66 on a testing second day, then those two eagles yesterday on his way to a scintillating 67. It’s earned him a deserved three-shot lead over McIlroy going into the final round. Keep doing the same things, maintain a cool head, and the title’s his. He’d be a most deserved winner.
But nothing’s ever certain at Augusta on Sunday. Just ask Greg Norman, who shipped a six-shot 54-hole lead in 1996. Or Ed Sneed, who couldn’t convert a five-shot advantage in 1979. Or Rory himself, who crashed and burned so sadly around Amen Corner in 2011. Plus the fact everyone knows the tournament doesn’t really start until everyone reaches the turn on Sunday. In that respect, the story’s yet to begin.
So it could be a Patrick Reed procession ... or a drama of such epic proportions we’ll remember every twist, turn, eagle, birdie, hook and yip until our dying breath. And the erstwhile Ryder Cup combatants Reed and McIlroy might not be the only characters in our story, either. Working on the premise that nobody has won the Masters from further than eight shots back going into the final round - when Jack Burke Jr. overhauled Ken Venturi in 1956 - there are a further six players within range who could still have a realistic shot. Step forward Rickie Fowler, Jon Rahm, Henrik Stenson, Tommy Fleetwood, Bubba Watson and Marc Leishman. That’s quite a cast of talent, and they’ve all been on song this week. Hell, let’s go a couple of shots further back, just so we can namecheck the brilliant US trio of Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth and Dustin Johnson in our roll-call. Hey, it’s unlikely, but records are there to be broken.
We went into this Tournament hoping for a classic. The first three days have more than delivered. So here’s hoping day four can put the icing on the cake. Good luck, Patrick. God speed, Rory. All the best, Rickie. Give it your best shot, Jon. It’s the denouement of the 2018 Masters. It’s Augusta National on Sunday. It’s on!
The leading contenders after 54 holes ...
-14: Reed
-11: McIlroy
-9: Fowler
-8: Rahm
-7: Stenson
-6: Fleetwood, Watson, Leishman
-5: Thomas, Spieth
-4: D Johnson
-3: Smith, Rose, Oosthuizen
... and the tee times for the final round:
10am EDT / 3pm BST: Vijay Singh
10.10am/3.10pm: Ian Poulter, Brian Harman
10.20am/3.20pm: Chez Reavie, Phil Mickelson
10.30am/3.30pm: Tyrrell Hatton, Doug Ghim (a)
10.40am/3.40pm: Martin Kaymer, Kyle Stanley
10.50am/3.50pm: Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Xander Schauffele
11am/4pm: Bryson DeChambeau, Branden Grace
11.10am/4.10pm: Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Tiger Woods
11.20am/4.20pm: Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples
11.40am/4.40pm: Zach Johnson, Webb Simpson
11.50am/4.50pm: Ryan Moore, Jhonattan Vegas
12pm/5pm: Adam Scott, Daniel Berger
12.10pm/5.10pm: Haotong Li, Paul Casey
12.20pm/5.20pm: Adam Hadwin, Hideki Matsuyama
12.30pm/5.30pm: Satoshi Kodaira, Russell Henley
12.40pm/5.40pm: Kevin Kisner, Francesco Molinari
12.50pm/5.50pm: Matthew Fitzpatrick, Si Woo Kim
1pm/6pm: Charley Hoffman, Tony Finau
1.20pm/6.20pm: Jimmy Walker, Matt Kuchar
1.30pm/6.30pm: Jason Day, Bernd Wiesberger
1.40pm/6.40pm: Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen
1.50pm/6.50pm: Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith
2pm/7pm: Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth
2.10pm/7.10pm: Bubba Watson, Marc Leishman
2.20pm/7.20pm: Henrik Stenson, Tommy Fleetwood
2.30pm/7.30pm: Rickie Fowler, Jon Rahm
2.40pm/7.40pm: Patrick Reed, Rory McIlroy
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