Masters report: Tiger Woods wins 15th major at Masters - National Club Golfer

Masters report: What happened on Sunday at Augusta National?

It is the victory many of us thought could never happen. In his darkest moments, Tiger Woods must have felt that way too.

Fourteen years since his last Green Jacket, 11 since his last major title – No. 15 has improbably arrived for the greatest player of all time after a dramatic final round at the Masters.

For there can surely now be no doubt to his status as the best to have ever played the game.

Yes, Jack’s got 18 majors and who is to say that Tiger can’t now bear down on that record with renewed determination.

It wasn’t much more than 18 months ago, though, that the 43-year-old didn’t know if he’d even be able to play a few holes with his kids.

So stricken had he been with back pain, a constant agony that required his spine to be fused, that he couldn’t sit in a buggy without discomfort.

Now he has a fifth victory at Augusta National.

masters report

Francesco Molinari gave him the opening. The Italian had been almost robotic over the first three days – cool and unflappable.

It’s a cliché to say the Masters only begins on the back nine on Sunday but it couldn’t have been truer today.

Standing with a two shot lead on the 12th, on the hole that’s sunk so many Augusta dreams over the years, Molinari found the water and his lead was gone.

Worse was to come for the Open champion.

He clipped the branches of the trees on his approach on the 15th, met a watery grave once again, and his challenge was at an end.

One by one they stepped up to make their claims: Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson. At one point down the stretch they all hit the summit. A surging Bubba Watson was just behind.

But wearing that iconic red shirt and black trousers, the uniform that was the symbol of so much glory, Tiger looked like he’d stepped straight out of 2005. It brought back so many evocative memories.

And as he played those pivotal closing holes on this most famous of courses, it was absolute vintage.

As in the third round, he had his share of fortune. The tee shot at 13 took too much off the left and somehow found its way through a dozen trees to make the fairway.

The approach, though, was precision – as it was at 15 where Molinari’s nightmare, and Woods’ birdie, pushed him into the sole lead.

https://twitter.com/TheMasters/status/1117487278635532288

Then came the moment at 16. An arrow of an iron, the perfect spot on the green, and the delicious few seconds where the ball trickled down to the hole.

Another birdie and, with the pressure racheting and the moment at hand, he striped his drive down 17 and threw a dart onto the green.

There were nerves on the last, an approach that left a tricky chip but was handled with relative aplomb as he putted out for a 70, a 13-under total and a one shot win over DJ, Schauffele and Koepka.

There was unbridled joy at the finish – a reaction the like of which we have never seen from Tiger on a golf course.

And that’s as it should be, for this achievement was monumental – a victory that will surely be remembered as one of sport’s greatest revivals.

Tiger is back.

Masters report: Sunday talking points

Well that all felt a little odd, didn’t it? The prospects of a Sunday storm – and not just one between the participants – meant the tee times for the final round were moved forward.

So it was a “Sunday unlike any other” (yes, they really did say that) as we had a two-tee start with the first three-balls going off at 7.30am US time.

Reports said people began waiting near the gates at 1am – a full six hours before they would be allowed inside the grounds.

masters report

And given the Masters is all about traditions (yes, yes, unlike any other) the weather forecasts must have been utterly biblical for the Green Jacket ceremony to be cancelled.

Most of us only witness the contrived, and usually very awkward, Butler Cabin rigmarole on TV – the moment when Bubba Watson left former chairman Billy Payne hanging for a handshake in 2012 remains a personal highlight – but the rest of the ‘patrons’ get their own glimpse of green when the garment is, oddly, re-presented on the terrace putting green.

Only they didn’t this year. The tournament committee cancelled the full ceremony in order to “expedite gate closures”, a club statement said.

In other words, get off the property ASAP.

It was 49 straight holes, following the 11th on Thursday to the 7th on Sunday, between dropped shots for Francesco Molinari.

That streak set some of us, well me actually, wondering what was the lowest number of bogeys – not including a double – recorded by a player to win the Masters. After extensive research (thanks Google), I can reveal the answer is five.

Jimmy Demaret, in 1949, Jack Nicklaus, in 1965, and Ben Crenshaw, in 1995, all surrendered only a quintet of shots in their successful Green Jacket campaigns.

masters report

Rory McIlroy is forever telling us he doesn’t feel any extra pressure returning to Augusta National each year after spending months being bombarded with talk of the Grand Slam.

The statistics, though, suggest otherwise. His final round 68 today was his 11th sub-70 effort of his 11 appearances in the Masters, and five of those have come on the last day.

That’s good, isn’t it? Not quite. Those rounds: 69 in 2013 and 2014, 66 in 2015, 69 in 2017 and 68 now all have one thing in common. McIlroy was never really in contention.

There’s no doubt the four-time major champion has the tools to unlock this golf course. Whether he will win the Masters or not, though, may depend on the six inches between his ears rather than the 7,400 yards of land in front of him.

Masters report: Best quote

Tiger Woods on the moments after winning his fifth Masters

Masters report: Best moments

Lovely if you backed the 4/6 on ‘yes’ for a hole-in-one. Which I did. So thank you Bryson DeChambeau for this on 16.

He was quite pleased, too. It was his first ever ace…

They’re like buses, you know…

How on earth did this stay out?

I’m not even sure how you go about figuring out this puzzle. Bravo Alex Noren…

In your life etc…

Need to know what happened to get us to this point? Check out our day-by-day review, starting on the next page…

Masters report: What happened on Saturday at Augusta National?

A run of four straight birdies on the back nine saw Francesco Molinari take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Masters.

The Open champion was again imperious at Augusta National – carding another bogey free round, this time a 66, as he inched towards the precious Green Jacket.

A rain-softened Augusta was at its most inviting, with Tony Finau, Webb Simpson and Patrick Cantlay all shooting 8-under 64s.

Leaderboard | Tee times

But Molinari’s poise has been impressive all week and the hero of Carnoustie, and the Ryder Cup at Le Golf National, stamped his authority on this star-studded leaderboard with successive birdies from the 12th to the 15th.

Finau’s heroics – he went round the front nine in 30 – sees him leading the challengers along with Tiger Woods.

Woods charged into the fray with a trio of birdies from the 6th to the 8th but rode his luck at times – particularly with an aggressive tee shot at 13 that could easily have gone into a tributary of Rae’s Creek.

He used that fortune and three birdies down the stretch resulted in a 67 and the chance to take on the Italian once again in the final group.

The four-time Masters winner came off second best in his head-to-head duel with Molinari in Scotland last July when the Claret Jug was on the line.

And he will have to do something he’s never managed before if he is to get his hands on major No. 15 – win without starting in the lead.

Woods, Molinari and Finau are only part of what will surely prove to be a mesmerising final act to the year’s first major.

Ten players remain within five shots of the lead and Simpson, Brooks Koepka and Ian Poulter – whose classy birdie at the last set the seal on a 68 – are among those within touching distance.

It should be quite a day.

Masters report: Day three talking points

masters report

There’s not been a Monday finish at the Masters since 1983 and the Green Jackets have moved to try and make sure there isn’t one this year either.

The weather forecast is varying between inclement and apocalyptic depending on where you look – with the chances of thunderstorms estimated at 80% and winds reaching 30mph – and so the tee times for the final round have been adjusted.

The usual two-balls have become three, getting under way at 12.30pm UK time off both the 1st and 10th tees – and that really is a tradition like no other. The leaders will be out at 2.20pm.

But while we will be robbed of our midnight Sunday finish, it has to be the right decision.

Golf is a sport that is at the mercy of the elements, of course, but it’s better to have the destiny of the Masters decided in this fashion – rather than by the player who handles a weather delay the best.

A stunning stat from our friends across the pond which really just showed how defenceless Augusta National became after the rain softened up the course.

Interestingly, despite the trend in lengthening the layout over the past couple of decades, a GolfWeek report last week revealed the average under par score has risen considerably over the past quarter of a century.

So do we like seeing a birdie fest on this most venerable of courses? Dan Murphy and Alex Perry debate in Alternate Shot.

masters report

I’m not sure when I’ve watched Rory McIlroy looking quite so resigned as he did in his post round media chat after a third round 71 – an effort that basically ended his Grand Slam hopes for another year.

This was supposed to be the Northern Irishman’s time. He was meant to capitalise on a softer golf course and take advantage of some fine form coming in.

But the consistency McIlroy has shown during the first three months of the year has deserted him over three days at Augusta.

Fourteen bogeys in 54 holes just won’t cut it and, even though he’s hasn’t yet turned 30, I do wonder whether the stress of trying to join such an elite group – only five players have managed to win all four majors – might mean he’ll never do it.

It feels to me there’s a touch of the Ernie Els about him here now. Fate conspired against the South African in his bid to grasp the Green Jacket – remember what happened to him in 2004? – and Augusta’s the sort of place that can get in your head when you’ve taken one too many punch.

I hope I’m wrong and time is still on the four-time major winner’s side. We’ve been saying that, though, since 2011…

masters report

Ian Woosnam’s had more comebacks than Frank Sinatra but this time he says he’s definitely hung up his clubs at the Masters.

If you think you’ve heard all this before it’s because you have. The 1991 champion retired from playing the Masters in 2016 but the lure of the azaleas – and a telling off from his wife Glendryth – persuaded him to change his mind.

He’ll still play the Par 3 contest and attend the Champions Dinner, but his days of turning up for two days of competition and missing the cut are over.

“It’s a shame because I feel like I’m still playing pretty good,” he said, even though rounds of 80 and 76 saw him fail to make the halfway stage for the 11th consecutive year.

The Welshman was one of the heroes of European golf when I was growing up and watching him win the Green Jacket 28 years ago, and then defend it so strongly the year after, was a genuine thrill.

But the 61-year-old struggles to get round the course these days – he suffers from ankylosing spondylitis – and, as I said on day one, a major should be about brilliance not sentimentality.

Masters report: Best quote

Webb Simpson reflects on his third-round 64.

Masters report: Best moments

A mic-drop moment before Lefty got anywhere near the first tee. This take down of Matt Kuchar is brutal…

Then he did this. Phil being Phil…

And then he did it again…

Crystal time for Rory, but far from the prize he wanted this week…

Find me a better approach than this. I’ll wait…

Masters report: Betting update

Another impressive round from Francesco Molinari naturally sees him installed as the clear favourite with bet365 to claim the Green Jacket.

The Italian is 7/4 going into the final day with Tiger Woods (100/30) the nearest challenger.

Anyone who saw the way Molinari dealt with the final round pressure at Carnoustie last year, and then how he smashed through the field to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational only a month ago, will probably say it’s fair enough.

But we can still get a 1/4 of the odds each-way for the first three places and, despite his dropped shot at the last, if Dustin Johnson can get going on Sunday we might expect a return at odds of 25/1.

The intermittent World No. 1 has rather coasted through the first three days but he is just within reach of Molinari at five back and is only three off second.

It’s a bit of a risk, but he is certainly capable of taking advantage of a course that is expected to be hit by even more rain overnight.

For all the latest prices and markets, visit bet365.

Do you like seeing Augusta brought to its knees?

What’s in Molinari’s bag?

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Masters report: What happened on Friday at Augusta National?

What a weekend we’ve got in store at the Masters – a quintet of major champions at the top of the leaderboard and a big cat on the prowl.

There’s the champion golfer of the year, a man who can’t stop winning majors, a player practically on crutches and, just behind, the legend looking to seal the ultimate comeback. Every story you can imagine is playing out after a dramatic second day at Augusta National.

Francesco Molinari, Jason Day, Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen all have a share of the spoils at 7-under par, and the leaderboard is absolutely stacked with Tiger Woods among those just a shot off the pace.

masters report

Molinari was superb, his 67 a flawless round consisting of five birdies and no bogeys. He has only dropped one shot in 36 holes.

Day looked like he needed a stretcher on standby on day one during his opening 70. But he must have a hell of a physio as he came out hot with a birdie at the second and finished by picking up three shots in five holes.

When overnight leaders Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau made early birdies, it looked ominous for the rest of the field.

The former succumbed to a double bogey at the second, though, while the Scientist self-combusted around the turn as he plummeted down the leaderboard with a 75.

Koepka, who only seems awake when it’s a major, managed to stick around and grabbed a share of the lead with a birdie at the last for 71.

Scott and Oosthuizen, meanwhile, turned on the style during the afternoon with rounds of 68 and 66 respectively.

Leaderboard | Tee times

They’ll all be looking over their shoulder at a surging Tiger. His dreams of a fifth Green Jacket are well and truly alive after he birdied the 9th and 11th and then, after a short weather delay for threat of thunderstorms, also picked up shots at 14 and 15 in a 68.

And what of Rory McIlroy? The pre-tournament favourite endured another see-saw day and, standing at even par, will need a very low third round if he’s to have any chance of achieving the Grand Slam.

There are 28 players within five shots of the lead – we’ve not even mentioned Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele, Ian Poulter or the impressive Justin Harding.

But while the pedigree of that list is immense, plenty of the early fancies are having the weekend off.

World No. 1 Justin Rose and Paul Casey, along with 2016 winner Danny Willett and 2017 champion Sergio Garcia, are among those to have missed the cut.

Masters report: Day two talking points

Maybe there’s a heavy dose of schadenfreude involved but I personally love those few and far between moments when professional golfers make a right mess of things like the rest of us.

There was one for the ages – and forever to be replayed thanks to social media – when Zach Johnson did something quite bizarre at the 13th.

Going through his pre-shot routine, the 2007 Masters winner made a final practice swing and, as he followed through, hit his ball. It knocked against the right tee marker and jumped forward on the teeing area.

Cue plenty of guffawing from the viewers at home and from playing partners Matt Kuchar and Ian Poulter too.

Johnson was momentarily stunned but, while he was caught unawares, both Kuchar and Poulter knew what had happened and Zach re-teed it and hit without counting either a stroke or a penalty.

So why was that the case? Well, it’s because the ball on the teeing area was not classed as being in play and there had been no intent to take a shot.

Rule 6.2b (5) in the Rules of Golf covers this and states the ball is not in play until a player makes a stroke at it.

That rule also says that if the “teed ball falls off the tee or is knocked off the tee by the player before the player has made a stroke at it, it may be re-teed anywhere in the teeing area without penalty”.

In the definition of what a stroke is, the Rules say one has not been made if the player “accidentally strikes the ball when making a practice swing or while preparing to make a stroke”.

Had this situation occurred when the ball was in play, though, for example in the fairway but with the exception of the green, Johnson would have suffered a one-stroke penalty with the ball having to be replaced.

So in this case, apart from some wounded pride, there was no sanction for Zach, who went on to birdie the hole as he recorded a 73 to creep into the weekend.

masters report

With rounds on the first day taking more than five hours, and similar times experienced for some participants in round two, many players are unified in the need to speed up the game.

Unless, of course, you’re one of those at risk of getting pinged for slow play. Bernhard Langer will play the final two rounds of the Masters yet again after the 61-year-old added a level par 72 to his excellent 71 on Thursday.

The two-time champion told reporters afterwards, though, he was less than impressed with finding himself put on the clock early on. He was pointing the blame squarely at others.

“They came over on the third hole and they told us we’re 10 minutes behind,” he said. “Yeah, we waited eight minutes on the tee shot on 2 and then four minutes on the second shot on 2. That’s 12 minutes. So no wonder we’re 10 minutes behind.

“They said you’re 10 minutes behind. I said ‘well, is that my fault? We can’t play any faster. Want me to hit it over their heads?’ You’d think they’d have more common sense.”

Clock or not, it would still take something out of the ordinary for rules chiefs to actually enforce a slow play penalty at Augusta – despite all the recommendations in the new Rules of Golf.

Masters report: Best quote

Francesco Molinari after his second-round 67.

Masters report: Best moments

Someone should tell the marshalls there is no slide tackling in golf…

There has been little fuss, but this man is quietly going about his business. Could it be a second major title for JT?

I hope there’s plenty of crystal in the Masters warehouse…

We’re going to need another van…

I’d quite like these two in next week’s team comp…

The best players in the world – sometimes they’re just like us

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Masters report: What happened on Thursday at Augusta?

Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau are tied at the top after the pair blistered the back nine on the opening day of the Masters.

The American duo both shot rounds of 66 to edge one clear of three-time champion Phil Mickelson at Augusta National.

Koepka’s reputation as the man for the big occasion is only growing with every major championship.

The man who has won three of the last seven big four, including last year’s US Open and PGA Championship, was one under after nine but charged through the turn and Amen Corner with birdies at 10, 12 and 13 as well as 14.

He had to endure a 15-minute wait at the 15th and launched his drive right into the trees, but later produced a magnificent chip for a kick-in birdie and parred in from there.

DeChambeau was even hotter on the closing stretch, producing six birdies in the final seven holes, almost aceing the 16th, chipping in at the next before nearly dunking his approach on 18.

Mickelson, meanwhile, is bidding to become the oldest ever major champion at 48 years and 9 months.

Lefty has got the pedigree and his 67 included three birdies in the last four holes, while Ian Poulter, who picked up a trio of shots on the closing stretch, is one further back with Dustin Johnson.

At one point during the opening day, there was a nine-way tie at the top at 3-under.

A bogey at the 17th saw Tiger Woods fall out of that group but the four-time champion is well placed at 2-under while Rory McIlroy is seven shots back after an up-and-down 73.

The Northern Irishman, searching for the career grand slam, fell to plus two after bogeys at 10 and 11 but fought back with birdies at the two par-5s on the back nine and the 16th only to close with two dropped shots.

Justin Rose, meanwhile, struggled to a 75 and there was only misery for Paul Casey, whose Masters dreams are in tatters after a nine-over 81.

Masters report: The talking points

masters report

No-one will come close to matching Sir Nick Faldo, who impaled his middle finger on the antler of a deer head after the first round of the Open in 2015, but Jason Day is constantly seeking new ways to join the bizarre club of golfing injuries.

The Australian, who was struck with vertigo during the US Open at Chambers Bay four years ago, needs a walking A&E department to cope with his brittle back.

Just a month after withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he was yet again in need of treatment on only the second hole at Augusta.

Apparently, Day re-aggravated his back problems by lifting up daughter Lucy before the round and, captured by cameras, seemed to require some pretty urgent treatment.

The physio’s magic hands had an immediate effect. Day birdied the 2nd and then got into red figures at the par-5 8th as he battled his way to a two-under 70.

He looked pretty tender throughout and may need some heavy treatment if he is to continue his challenge.

There’s something quite sad about watching a legend woefully past their best. There’s too much sentimentality in sport, though, and if you want your syrup poured with a ladle then Augusta’s your kind of place.

It’s an invitational tournament at heart, of course, and the green jackets can set whatever rules they want.

But will the patrons really have got any joy from watching Ian Woosnam eke out an 80?

masters report

He hasn’t made a Masters cut for a decade and won’t be here for the weekend either – largely thanks to a quadruple bogey on the 11th.

So thank god for Bernhard Langer, who kept the flag flying for the older generation with a fabulous 71, while Sandy Lyle also produced a fine 73.

I’m all for a bit of romance in the game but this is supposed to be a major championship – and that means the best of the best.

Should you be able to turn up year after year if you can no longer compete?

I want to see the old boys at Augusta, but let’s remember their greatness at the Champions Dinner and in the Par-3 contest – as we do with as Nicklaus, Watson and Player each year – rather than watching them dunk another ball into the 12th.

It’s a tradition at NCG towers that we stick our heads on the block and make our pre-tournament predictions.

Judge us kindly, but when it came to picking out this year’s tournament flop we didn’t miss the dartboard so much as hit someone in another room.

Masters report: Best quote

– Tiger Woods

Masters report: Best moments

Excuse me, I’ve got something in my eye…

Patton Kizzire was the first recipient of the lovely bit of crystal Augusta hands out for every eagle during the Masters…

Rory hit a special out of the trees but this one, which set up a birdie at the 14th, was vintage Tiger.

But that was trumped by these two bits of magic from Bryson DeChambeau. Ladies and gentlemen, your shots of the day…

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Masters report: What happened on Sunday at Augusta National?

It is the victory many of us thought could never happen. In his darkest moments, Tiger Woods must have felt that way too.

Fourteen years since his last Green Jacket, 11 since his last major title – No. 15 has improbably arrived for the greatest player of all time after a dramatic final round at the Masters.

For there can surely now be no doubt to his status as the best to have ever played the game.

Yes, Jack’s got 18 majors and who is to say that Tiger can’t now bear down on that record with renewed determination.

It wasn’t much more than 18 months ago, though, that the 43-year-old didn’t know if he’d even be able to play a few holes with his kids.

So stricken had he been with back pain, a constant agony that required his spine to be fused, that he couldn’t sit in a buggy without discomfort.

Now he has a fifth victory at Augusta National.

masters report

Francesco Molinari gave him the opening. The Italian had been almost robotic over the first three days – cool and unflappable.

It’s a cliché to say the Masters only begins on the back nine on Sunday but it couldn’t have been truer today.

Standing with a two shot lead on the 12th, on the hole that’s sunk so many Augusta dreams over the years, Molinari found the water and his lead was gone.

Worse was to come for the Open champion.

He clipped the branches of the trees on his approach on the 15th, met a watery grave once again, and his challenge was at an end.

And as he played those pivotal closing holes on this most famous of courses, it was absolute vintage.

As in the third round, he had his share of fortune. The tee shot at 13 took too much off the left and somehow found its way through a dozen trees to make the fairway.

The approach, though, was precision – as it was at 15 where Molinari’s nightmare, and Woods’ birdie, pushed him into the sole lead.

https://twitter.com/TheMasters/status/1117487278635532288

Then came the moment at 16. An arrow of an iron, the perfect spot on the green, and the delicious few seconds where the ball trickled down to the hole.

Another birdie and, with the pressure racheting and the moment at hand, he striped his drive down 17 and threw a dart onto the green.

There were nerves on the last, an approach that left a tricky chip but was handled with relative aplomb as he putted out for a 70, a 13-under total and a one shot win over DJ, Schauffele and Koepka.

There was unbridled joy at the finish – a reaction the like of which we have never seen from Tiger on a golf course.

And that’s as it should be, for this achievement was monumental – a victory that will surely be remembered as one of sport’s greatest revivals.

Tiger is back.

Masters report: Sunday talking points

Well that all felt a little odd, didn’t it? The prospects of a Sunday storm – and not just one between the participants – meant the tee times for the final round were moved forward.

So it was a “Sunday unlike any other” (yes, they really did say that) as we had a two-tee start with the first three-balls going off at 7.30am US time.

Reports said people began waiting near the gates at 1am – a full six hours before they would be allowed inside the grounds.

masters report

And given the Masters is all about traditions (yes, yes, unlike any other) the weather forecasts must have been utterly biblical for the Green Jacket ceremony to be cancelled.

Only they didn’t this year. The tournament committee cancelled the full ceremony in order to “expedite gate closures”, a club statement said.

In other words, get off the property ASAP.

It was 49 straight holes, following the 11th on Thursday to the 7th on Sunday, between dropped shots for Francesco Molinari.

Jimmy Demaret, in 1949, Jack Nicklaus, in 1965, and Ben Crenshaw, in 1995, all surrendered only a quintet of shots in their successful Green Jacket campaigns.

masters report

Rory McIlroy is forever telling us he doesn’t feel any extra pressure returning to Augusta National each year after spending months being bombarded with talk of the Grand Slam.

The statistics, though, suggest otherwise. His final round 68 today was his 11th sub-70 effort of his 11 appearances in the Masters, and five of those have come on the last day.

That’s good, isn’t it? Not quite. Those rounds: 69 in 2013 and 2014, 66 in 2015, 69 in 2017 and 68 now all have one thing in common. McIlroy was never really in contention.

Masters report: Best quote

Tiger Woods on the moments after winning his fifth Masters

Masters report: Best moments

Lovely if you backed the 4/6 on ‘yes’ for a hole-in-one. Which I did. So thank you Bryson DeChambeau for this on 16.

He was quite pleased, too. It was his first ever ace…

They’re like buses, you know…

How on earth did this stay out?

I’m not even sure how you go about figuring out this puzzle. Bravo Alex Noren…

In your life etc…

Need to know what happened to get us to this point? Check out our day-by-day review, starting on the next page…

Masters report: What happened on Saturday at Augusta National?

A run of four straight birdies on the back nine saw Francesco Molinari take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Masters.

The Open champion was again imperious at Augusta National – carding another bogey free round, this time a 66, as he inched towards the precious Green Jacket.

A rain-softened Augusta was at its most inviting, with Tony Finau, Webb Simpson and Patrick Cantlay all shooting 8-under 64s.

Leaderboard | Tee times

Finau’s heroics – he went round the front nine in 30 – sees him leading the challengers along with Tiger Woods.

He used that fortune and three birdies down the stretch resulted in a 67 and the chance to take on the Italian once again in the final group.

The four-time Masters winner came off second best in his head-to-head duel with Molinari in Scotland last July when the Claret Jug was on the line.

And he will have to do something he’s never managed before if he is to get his hands on major No. 15 – win without starting in the lead.

Woods, Molinari and Finau are only part of what will surely prove to be a mesmerising final act to the year’s first major.

Ten players remain within five shots of the lead and Simpson, Brooks Koepka and Ian Poulter – whose classy birdie at the last set the seal on a 68 – are among those within touching distance.

It should be quite a day.

Masters report: Day three talking points

masters report

There’s not been a Monday finish at the Masters since 1983 and the Green Jackets have moved to try and make sure there isn’t one this year either.

The usual two-balls have become three, getting under way at 12.30pm UK time off both the 1st and 10th tees – and that really is a tradition like no other. The leaders will be out at 2.20pm.

But while we will be robbed of our midnight Sunday finish, it has to be the right decision.

A stunning stat from our friends across the pond which really just showed how defenceless Augusta National became after the rain softened up the course.

So do we like seeing a birdie fest on this most venerable of courses? Dan Murphy and Alex Perry debate in Alternate Shot.

masters report

This was supposed to be the Northern Irishman’s time. He was meant to capitalise on a softer golf course and take advantage of some fine form coming in.

But the consistency McIlroy has shown during the first three months of the year has deserted him over three days at Augusta.

I hope I’m wrong and time is still on the four-time major winner’s side. We’ve been saying that, though, since 2011…

masters report

Ian Woosnam’s had more comebacks than Frank Sinatra but this time he says he’s definitely hung up his clubs at the Masters.

He’ll still play the Par 3 contest and attend the Champions Dinner, but his days of turning up for two days of competition and missing the cut are over.

“It’s a shame because I feel like I’m still playing pretty good,” he said, even though rounds of 80 and 76 saw him fail to make the halfway stage for the 11th consecutive year.

The Welshman was one of the heroes of European golf when I was growing up and watching him win the Green Jacket 28 years ago, and then defend it so strongly the year after, was a genuine thrill.

But the 61-year-old struggles to get round the course these days – he suffers from ankylosing spondylitis – and, as I said on day one, a major should be about brilliance not sentimentality.

Masters report: Best quote

Webb Simpson reflects on his third-round 64.

Masters report: Best moments

A mic-drop moment before Lefty got anywhere near the first tee. This take down of Matt Kuchar is brutal…

Then he did this. Phil being Phil…

And then he did it again…

Crystal time for Rory, but far from the prize he wanted this week…

Find me a better approach than this. I’ll wait…

Masters report: Betting update

Another impressive round from Francesco Molinari naturally sees him installed as the clear favourite with bet365 to claim the Green Jacket.

The Italian is 7/4 going into the final day with Tiger Woods (100/30) the nearest challenger.

The intermittent World No. 1 has rather coasted through the first three days but he is just within reach of Molinari at five back and is only three off second.

It’s a bit of a risk, but he is certainly capable of taking advantage of a course that is expected to be hit by even more rain overnight.

For all the latest prices and markets, visit bet365.

Do you like seeing Augusta brought to its knees?

What’s in Molinari’s bag?

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Masters report: What happened on Friday at Augusta National?

What a weekend we’ve got in store at the Masters – a quintet of major champions at the top of the leaderboard and a big cat on the prowl.

masters report

Molinari was superb, his 67 a flawless round consisting of five birdies and no bogeys. He has only dropped one shot in 36 holes.

When overnight leaders Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau made early birdies, it looked ominous for the rest of the field.

The former succumbed to a double bogey at the second, though, while the Scientist self-combusted around the turn as he plummeted down the leaderboard with a 75.

Koepka, who only seems awake when it’s a major, managed to stick around and grabbed a share of the lead with a birdie at the last for 71.

Scott and Oosthuizen, meanwhile, turned on the style during the afternoon with rounds of 68 and 66 respectively.

Leaderboard | Tee times

And what of Rory McIlroy? The pre-tournament favourite endured another see-saw day and, standing at even par, will need a very low third round if he’s to have any chance of achieving the Grand Slam.

There are 28 players within five shots of the lead – we’ve not even mentioned Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele, Ian Poulter or the impressive Justin Harding.

But while the pedigree of that list is immense, plenty of the early fancies are having the weekend off.

World No. 1 Justin Rose and Paul Casey, along with 2016 winner Danny Willett and 2017 champion Sergio Garcia, are among those to have missed the cut.

Masters report: Day two talking points

Maybe there’s a heavy dose of schadenfreude involved but I personally love those few and far between moments when professional golfers make a right mess of things like the rest of us.

There was one for the ages – and forever to be replayed thanks to social media – when Zach Johnson did something quite bizarre at the 13th.

Cue plenty of guffawing from the viewers at home and from playing partners Matt Kuchar and Ian Poulter too.

Johnson was momentarily stunned but, while he was caught unawares, both Kuchar and Poulter knew what had happened and Zach re-teed it and hit without counting either a stroke or a penalty.

So why was that the case? Well, it’s because the ball on the teeing area was not classed as being in play and there had been no intent to take a shot.

Rule 6.2b (5) in the Rules of Golf covers this and states the ball is not in play until a player makes a stroke at it.

In the definition of what a stroke is, the Rules say one has not been made if the player “accidentally strikes the ball when making a practice swing or while preparing to make a stroke”.

So in this case, apart from some wounded pride, there was no sanction for Zach, who went on to birdie the hole as he recorded a 73 to creep into the weekend.

masters report

With rounds on the first day taking more than five hours, and similar times experienced for some participants in round two, many players are unified in the need to speed up the game.

The two-time champion told reporters afterwards, though, he was less than impressed with finding himself put on the clock early on. He was pointing the blame squarely at others.

“They said you’re 10 minutes behind. I said ‘well, is that my fault? We can’t play any faster. Want me to hit it over their heads?’ You’d think they’d have more common sense.”

Clock or not, it would still take something out of the ordinary for rules chiefs to actually enforce a slow play penalty at Augusta – despite all the recommendations in the new Rules of Golf.

Masters report: Best quote

Francesco Molinari after his second-round 67.

Masters report: Best moments

Someone should tell the marshalls there is no slide tackling in golf…

There has been little fuss, but this man is quietly going about his business. Could it be a second major title for JT?

I hope there’s plenty of crystal in the Masters warehouse…

We’re going to need another van…

I’d quite like these two in next week’s team comp…

The best players in the world – sometimes they’re just like us

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Masters report: What happened on Thursday at Augusta?

Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau are tied at the top after the pair blistered the back nine on the opening day of the Masters.

The American duo both shot rounds of 66 to edge one clear of three-time champion Phil Mickelson at Augusta National.

Koepka’s reputation as the man for the big occasion is only growing with every major championship.

He had to endure a 15-minute wait at the 15th and launched his drive right into the trees, but later produced a magnificent chip for a kick-in birdie and parred in from there.

DeChambeau was even hotter on the closing stretch, producing six birdies in the final seven holes, almost aceing the 16th, chipping in at the next before nearly dunking his approach on 18.

Mickelson, meanwhile, is bidding to become the oldest ever major champion at 48 years and 9 months.

Lefty has got the pedigree and his 67 included three birdies in the last four holes, while Ian Poulter, who picked up a trio of shots on the closing stretch, is one further back with Dustin Johnson.

At one point during the opening day, there was a nine-way tie at the top at 3-under.

A bogey at the 17th saw Tiger Woods fall out of that group but the four-time champion is well placed at 2-under while Rory McIlroy is seven shots back after an up-and-down 73.

Justin Rose, meanwhile, struggled to a 75 and there was only misery for Paul Casey, whose Masters dreams are in tatters after a nine-over 81.

Masters report: The talking points

masters report

The Australian, who was struck with vertigo during the US Open at Chambers Bay four years ago, needs a walking A&E department to cope with his brittle back.

Just a month after withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer Invitational, he was yet again in need of treatment on only the second hole at Augusta.

Apparently, Day re-aggravated his back problems by lifting up daughter Lucy before the round and, captured by cameras, seemed to require some pretty urgent treatment.

The physio’s magic hands had an immediate effect. Day birdied the 2nd and then got into red figures at the par-5 8th as he battled his way to a two-under 70.

He looked pretty tender throughout and may need some heavy treatment if he is to continue his challenge.

It’s an invitational tournament at heart, of course, and the green jackets can set whatever rules they want.

But will the patrons really have got any joy from watching Ian Woosnam eke out an 80?

masters report

He hasn’t made a Masters cut for a decade and won’t be here for the weekend either – largely thanks to a quadruple bogey on the 11th.

So thank god for Bernhard Langer, who kept the flag flying for the older generation with a fabulous 71, while Sandy Lyle also produced a fine 73.

I’m all for a bit of romance in the game but this is supposed to be a major championship – and that means the best of the best.

Should you be able to turn up year after year if you can no longer compete?

It’s a tradition at NCG towers that we stick our heads on the block and make our pre-tournament predictions.

Judge us kindly, but when it came to picking out this year’s tournament flop we didn’t miss the dartboard so much as hit someone in another room.

Masters report: Best quote

– Tiger Woods

Masters report: Best moments

Excuse me, I’ve got something in my eye…

Patton Kizzire was the first recipient of the lovely bit of crystal Augusta hands out for every eagle during the Masters…

Rory hit a special out of the trees but this one, which set up a birdie at the 14th, was vintage Tiger.

But that was trumped by these two bits of magic from Bryson DeChambeau. Ladies and gentlemen, your shots of the day…

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He’s done it! Tiger wins fifth Masters in dramatic Augusta finale

Masters report: What happened on Sunday at Augusta National?

Masters report: Sunday talking points

Masters report: Best quote

Masters report: Best moments

Masters report: What happened on Saturday at Augusta National?

Masters report: Day three talking points

Masters report: Best quote

Masters report: Best moments

Masters report: Betting update

Masters report: What happened on Friday at Augusta National?

Masters report: Day two talking points

Masters report: Best quote

Masters report: Best moments

Masters report: What happened on Thursday at Augusta?

Masters report: The talking points

Masters report: Best quote

Masters report: Best moments

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He’s done it! Tiger wins fifth Masters in dramatic Augusta finale

Masters report: What happened on Sunday at Augusta National?

Masters report: Sunday talking points

Masters report: Best quote

Masters report: Best moments

Masters report: What happened on Saturday at Augusta National?

Masters report: Day three talking points

Masters report: Best quote

Masters report: Best moments

Masters report: Betting update

Masters report: What happened on Friday at Augusta National?

Masters report: Day two talking points

Masters report: Best quote

Masters report: Best moments

Masters report: What happened on Thursday at Augusta?

Masters report: The talking points

Masters report: Best quote

Masters report: Best moments

Comments (0)

Leave a Comment