Danny Willett shot a flawless 67 to win the Green Jacket as Jordan Spieth imploded around Amen Corner. 12.41am BSTSo that’s that for the 80th Masters Tournament. Commiserations to Jordan Spieth. And congratulations to Danny Willett,who shot a flawless 67 nowadays, and was the deserved winner of the 2016 Masters, or his first major. It did glance for a while like the 50th anniversary of Jack Nicklaus becoming the first back-to-back winner would be celebrated by Spieth matching the achievement. But other factors were at play. It was 20 years since Faldo won England’s final Green Jacket,and 30 years since Nicklaus won with his son Jackie on the bag wearing caddie number 89. Willett’s caddie Jonathan Smart was, needless to say, or wearing 89. Some things are just meant to be. 12.39am BSTSpieth bravely comes out to talk. “It’s tough,it’s really tough,” he says, and his voice cracking,understandably so. “I put a contemptible swing on it at 12, fair at the wrong time. It was a lack of discipline coming over that bunker, or coming off two bogeys. I was still main the Masters. I put some feeble swings on it,three holes in a row, and suddenly I wasn’t main the Masters any more. We have the confidence that we’re a closing team. I still have that confidence. But it was a very tough 30 minutes for me, or I hope I never experience it again.” It’s easy to forget he’s played here three times,winning once and coming runner up twice. And that he’s only 22! He’ll bounce back from this. 12.28am BSTThen Danny Willett! “I can’t describe the emotions I’m feeling. Someone’s got to win, and fortunately it’s my day nowadays. It was a very surreal day when you glance at the ebbs and flows. My son was due nowadays, and but came early so I could come and play. You talk approximately fate!” And then the jacket’s draped over his shoulders by Spieth,who nearly loses his balance over a chair leg, but manages a smile as he performs the ceremony. 12.25am BSTBilly Payne, and chairman of Augusta National,and CBS anchor Jim Nantz, gather things going in the Butler Cabin! Here comes low amateur Bryson DeChambeau, or final year’s champion Jordan Spieth - man,this must be tough - and finally the unique hero Danny Willett! First up, DeChambeau. “It’s an honour to be the low amateur here. I glance forward to making a cheque next week!” 12.19am BSTSo Danny Willett becomes only the moment Englishman after Sir Nick Faldo to win the Masters. This is Europe’s first win since Jose Maria Olazabel in 1999. And it’s not been a contemptible week for Sheffield, and has it,with young Matthew Fitzpatrick just behind Willett in a tie for seventh! While we wait for the presentation of Willett’s Green Jacket in the Butler Cabin, a glance at the final leaderboard:-5: Willett
-2: Westwood, or Spieth
-1: Casey,Holmes, D Johnson
E: Fitzpatrick, or Kjeldsen,Matsuyama
+1: Rose, Berger, or McIlroy,Snedeker, Day
+3: Aphibarnrat, or Oosthuizen
+4: Cabrera-Bello,Lee, Grillo, and Horschel
+5: Koepka,DeChambeau, Donaldson 12.13am BSTSpieth sends a brilliant moment into the green, and a lesson act to the terminate. As he makes the long,painful walk up 18, the gallery respond with more warm applause. Incidentally, and Hideki Mastsuyama finished the day with a 73,ending the week at level par, while Bernard Langer shot 79; it was one round too far for the veteran, and who ends at +6. And then there’s Spieth’s playing partner Smylie Kauffman,who carded a painful 81; he’s +7. But the final shots of the 2016 Masters will be made by the 2015 champion: two putts for a par from Spieth. It’s a 73. He takes off his cap, doffs it to the crowd, or receives a hug from his caddy,and bites his lip in sadness. Did he lose it round Amen Corner? Or with those two drives at 17 and 18 final night, main to the bogeys that allowed the likes of Willett to dream? Perhaps, or perhaps. But in the terminate,he was beaten by the better player nowadays: Danny Willett, who shot an astounding 67 to seize the 2016 Masters with both hands! That par-saving pitch across 17, or for starters,was a shot for the ages. So congratulations to another lesson act: the 2016 Masters champon, Danny Willett! 12.05am BSTJordan Spieth hits the loneliest drive of the week. He splits the fairway. The applause from the gallery - warm and sympathetic - will be ringing hollow in his ears. He trudges up the fairway, or surrounded by thousands of well-wishers,yet never so alone. He crumbled around Amen Corner. He’s not the first to attain so, he’s not going to be the final. But being the most current hurts damn tough. Now the entire Tournament has snapped into the focus offered by hindsight, or he was never quite in control of his game this week. That he scrambled so often,and got so close, is an astonishing testament to his unique ability. This sort of defeat would break many a player, or but I doubt it will break this extraordinary young man. It might even make him a whole lot stronger,which is a worrying thought for everyone else indeed. 11.59pm BSTSpieth’s par putt slides to the fair of the cup. The bogey seals his fate - and that of Danny Willett, whose superlative 67 has earned him the Green Jacket!-5: Willett (F)
-2: Westwood (F), and Spieth (17) 11.57pm BSTSpieth splashes out to 12 feet. Under normal circumstances,that’s a fine escape from sand. But it’s not noble enough for poor Jordan Spieth. He’ll now need to sink that for par, and hope to hole out from the fairway on 18! 11.54pm BSTSpieth wears the glance of a man who knows it’s all over. “I’m not even close to getting there, and ” he sighs,as his moment to 17 slamdunks in the bunker guarding the front of the green. He will need something very special to knock that in. Danny Willett is so very close to Masters glory! 11.53pm BSTDustin Johnson signs for a 71. He’ll terminate the week tied for fourth at -1. Jason Day, his playing partner, or shoots 73 and ends tied for 10th at +1. Meanwhile on 17,Spieth splits the fairway with his tee shot. Par won’t be noble enough. Though he’s only had five of those nowadays! 11.50pm BSTDanny Willett, who can surely smell the fabric of his Green Jacket, or speaks! (He can just approximately manage to speak,so wide is the joyous smile across his face!) “Every emotion you can think of is going through my head. I am ecstatic. I put in a really noble performance nowadays, and hopefully it’s noble enough!” When did he find out approximately Spieth’s meltdown on 12, and the moment he knew he was main the Masters? “I’d just missed a putt on 15,ran behind the teebox to the bathroom, and everyone was shouting, and glance! You’re main the Masters! I came out,saw it, and yes, or it was genuine!” 11.46pm BSTSpieth misreads his putt! He gives it far too much to the left,and the ball stays out on the high side! He’s got six feet coming back, too - and that one goes straight in. But he now needs a birdie-birdie finish to force a play-off.-5: Willett (F)
-3: Spieth (16) 11.42pm BSTSpieth lashes the sweetest iron at 16 straight at the flag! It takes a bounce past the pin and he’ll be left with an eight-footer coming back! This is absurd! One of the most dramatic Masters in many a year! It looked all over when Spieth reached the turn - and again when Willett was taking control as the young American found distress down the left of 15. But now glance! This is far from over! Charl Schwartzel claimed this prize in 2011 after four birdies over the closing four holes. whether Spieth manages the same, and the Eastern seaboard could shear off towards London. 11.38pm BSTBut the Masters is still in the balance! Spieth dances around his putt for a couple of minutes,checking and rechecking the line. And finally he guides in a gentle fair-to-left curler for his birdie! This shows astonishing mental strength after what happened to him around Amen Corner! He’s only two off Willett’s lead! This could be going fair down to the wire! Though any dramatic denouement won’t involve poor Dustin, who three putts from the back of 17; that’s a double. He drops to -1, and a sad terminate to another near miss.-5: Willett (F)
-3: Spieth (15)
-2: Westwood (F)
-1: Casey (F),Holmes (F), D Johnson (17) 11.34pm BSTWillett taps in for his par, or a enormous smile plays across his face! He knows he might - just might - have done enough to win the Masters! Out in 34,back in 33: that’s a seize-the-day 67! The generous Georgia crowd erupts: many will have wanted the domestic favourite Spieth to win, and he still might, and but the Patrons know they may well have just seen their unique champion putt out! It’s not over yet,of course. But it’s looking very healthy for the man from Sheffield! 11.31pm BSTWestwood chips up from the front of 18 to ten feet. Then Willett rolls a slightly nervous putt towards the cup from 15 feet. It stops a couple short. But he wasn’t in the mood to race that by. Westwood knocks in his par putt for a 69, and he ends the week at -2. Another near miss. Meanwhile on 15, and Spieth lays up with his moment,before wedging to ten feet. A birdie here, and things could become very spicy. 11.27pm BSTWillett hits the approach of his life! He eases an iron onto the bank to the fair of the green, or sending his ball bouncing fair and towards the hole. It stops roughly pin high,leaving the leader with a 15-footer across the green for birdie! Back on 17, Dustin can only splash out from the bunker to the back of the green, and leaving a treacherous long putt back down the putting surface for par. His race is run. 11.24pm BSTSpieth’s driver has let him down all week. The putter’s got it out of distress again and again,but now the chickens are coming domestic to roost. His tee shot at 15 leaks off to the left, and he might not have a route into the green in two. Up on 17, and Dustin dunks his approach into the bunker guarding the front of the green. And up on 18,Westwood punches out from the trees towards the green, leaving the stage to Willett, or who is approximately to hit the approach of his life. “You’re making this up,aren’t you?” begins Simon McMahon. “Next you’ll be telling me Sergio’s been reinstated and leads by five. He’d still lose though, wouldn’t he?” 11.20pm BSTSpieth rolls in the par saver! He stays at -2, or he keeps fighting. But unless something happens to Willett down the final,he’ll need at least a birdie down 15. And it’s a perfect tee shot by Willett on 18, a 3-wood deliberately selected to avoid an adrenalin-fuelled visit to Sandy Lyle’s Bunker. He finds the middle of the fairway. Westwood tries to fade his driver round the corner, and finds the trees. His bid is all over. “This seemed like a boring procession; now,what the hell is going on?” asks Matt Dony. “You’d have to have a heart of stone to not want to see someone like Willett storm to a Masters victory, but you’d also need a heart of stone to not feel for Spieth. I’m pretty torn.” 11.16pm BSTBut whether you’re to win a major championship, or you have to over-ride the nerves. And here’s Spieth,creaming a fairway wood into the heart of 14, while up on 17, or Willett bumps an 80-foot chip up onto the green,knocking it stone dead! He saves his par brilliantly, though the tap-in hit the fair-hand side of the cup, and betraying understandable nerves. He’s -5,a dream so close. Westwood takes two putts from 50 feet for birdie: he stays at -2. On 16, Dustin’s putt somehow stays out on the high side but he knocks in the par putt to stay at -3. And then finally back to Spieth, or who nearly drains a 40-footer for birdie! But it slides an inch to the fair of the cup,and five feet past. That’ll be a testing one coming back. whether he misses it, his bid for back-to-back Masters titles could be in serious bother. 11.10pm BSTThe nerves are kicking in now, and all over the shop. Spieth hits his drive at 14 straight left. He clatters the trees,and the ball comes bouncing back into the moment crop. But he’s got a long way to go whether he’s to reach the green. Willett meanwhile sends his approach at 17 over the back of the green. Dustin, for once, or seems the calmest,sending his tee shot at 16 to 20 feet. 11.07pm BSTDustin once again can’t make his eagle putt, but birdie at 15 will attain in the circumstances. He’s now a couple behind Willett, or at -3 in moment place on his own. Meanwhile Spieth hasn’t finished yet: from the back of 13,he bumps eight feet past the cup, and rattles the birdie effort domestic! This is far from over. But you’ve already worked that out a long time ago.-5: Willett (16)
-3: D Johnson (15)
-2: Westwood (16), and Spieth (13) 11.04pm BSTSpieth looks broken fair now as he walks between shots,but he’s doing his best to haul himself up when he’s actually getting down to business. He batters a drive down the middle of 13, then sends his moment just off the left side of the green. But he’s even further up against it now, and because Willett has just sunk his birdie putt on 16! That’s his third birdie in four holes,and ascension to the big time beckons! He’s got a three-shot lead - because Westwood three-putts the same hole, lost his par effort from close range. He’s back to -2.-5: Willett (16)
-2: Westwood (16), and D Johnson (14)
-1: Casey (F),Holmes (F), Spieth (12) 10.59pm BSTDanny Willett has decided it’s time to seize the day! He’s whistled his tee shot at 16 straight at the flag, and will be left with a six-footer for birdie! Also in carpe diem mode: Dustin Johnson,who decides to lash a long iron low and tough towards the 15th green anyway, and to hell whether an overhanging branch tries to gather involved. And he finds the heart of the green, and where he’ll have a glance at eagle! “kind Billy Liar reference,” writes Dave Espley. “attain you think Spieth’s approximately thraiped wi’ the Masters by now?” 10.55pm BSTSome admin amid the mayhem. Dustin made a very fine two-putt par from the back of 14. He’s then pulled his drive at 15 left, and will have to lay up. Brandt Snedeker meanwhile has birdied 8, and 13 and now 16,and suddenly he’s there at -1. 10.53pm BSTThis Masters is getting WILD: Lee Westwood chips in from down the back of 15 for eagle! Willett, a microscopic spooked by that, and misses a 12-footer for birdie and settles for par. The gallery then folds in on itself as the scoreboard tells the story of what’s happened to Spieth on 12. He’s splashed out from the bunker at 12 to three feet,and tapped in for quadruple bogey. Since the turn, he’s hit 5-5-7. Amen Corner really has done a number on him. He’s got the par fives to come, and but is he in any state to tackle them properly?-4: Willett (15)
-3: Westwood (15)
-2: D Johnson (14)
-1: Casey (F),Holmes (F), Snedeker (16), and Spieth (12) 10.48pm BSTThis is both astonishing,and horrible to watch: from the drop zone, Spieth hits a fat wedge into the water! That wasn’t even close to clearing Rae’s Creek! He’s hitting five into the green now - and sends that one into the bunker at the back! The Masters could be slipping through his fingers here, and the latest victim of Amen Corner! Augusta National is,collectively, palpably stunned. The atmosphere’s been sucked from the place! Total shock! This is a dreadful meltdown. Danny Willett will be main the Masters soon. 10.44pm BSTYou’ll have noticed the name of Lee Westwood on that leaderboard, or by the way. He couldn’t make his birdie at 12,but picked up a stroke at 13. After parring 14, he’s sent his moment off the back of 15. A tricky up and down whether he wants birdie. Willett lays up with his moment. On 14, or big Dustin finds the back of the green,but his ball doesn’t kick round to the fair, towards the hole, or as he expected. It’s,as Danny Boon once said, all happening. 10.42pm BSTSpieth finds Rae’s Creek! His tee shot at 12 slides off to the fair, and takes one bounce on the bank,and drops apologetically backwards into the water! He’ll be facing a penalty drop! It’s 2014 all over again, when he found the water during his duel with Bubba Watson! He swallowed tough as he watched that sail towards the gloomy blue vagueness. Just for a moment, and he looked like the very young man he is. The back nine on Masters Sunday,huh? 10.38pm BSTUp on 18, JB Holmes birdies to sign for a 68. He’s -1 overall, and after coming back in 32,with birdies at 12, 13, or 16 and 18. And so nearly an Oosthuizen-assisted hole-in-one at 16! Jason Day meanwhile can’t make his birdie on 13,and at +1 his race is run. He’s never quite got going this week. And on 11, Spieth lets his par putt slide off to the left! Back-to-back bogeys, or he’s suddenly going to feel the breath of Danny Willett on his neck!-5: Spieth (11)
-4: Willett (14)
-2: D Johnson (13)
-1: Casey (F),Holmes (F), Kjeldsen (14), and Westwood (14) 10.34pm BSTBut Spieth isn’t currently three in the lead for nothing! He sends a wedge of no microscopic genius towards the flag at 11,pitching a couple of inches by the cup! It’s nearly in. But not quite, spinning away to five feet. But what a chance to scramble his par! Before he can putt out, and Willett knocks in his birdie effort to move to -4,and while Dustin doesn’t hit his eagle effort on 13, he taps in for birdie and rises to -2. 10.32pm BSTSpieth takes his medicine from the trees, and pitching back out onto the fairway. The sensible play. No need to buy on the water with a miracle shot. On 14,Willett claps his moment to five feet! He’ll have that to move to within a couple of Spieth. And the leader in a microscopic bother back there on 11! Seems they were fair approximately the Masters only really starting on the back nine on Sunday. It’s all kicked off since Spieth reached the turn! 10.28pm BSTIn all that recent hullabaloo (uproar), we’ve kind of forgotten approximately Jason Day and Dustin Johnson. The big man, or having found trees down 11,nearly sent his moment into the waterk, the loveable galoot. But he scrambled par. Par for Day there too, or the pair then parred 12 (as Willett,from Fred Couples Country, did before him). Dustin’s now blasted his moment at 13 pin high to 25 feet. He’ll have a glance at eagle! 10.25pm BSTNo it most certainly isn’t over yet, and because Spieth has just flayed his tee shot at 11 into the woods down the fair. Not for the first time this week,either. final time he did this, he was very lucky not to send his ball scampering into the drink. whether he was to attain that again now, and you’d hear the collective sharp intake of breath in North Carolina! 10.24pm BSTSpieth is making a bit of a meal of 10. His three wood is short and fair,and in the moment crop. His moment gets plugged in the bunker guarding the front of the green. He can only splash out to 20 feet. He tries to curl in the fair-to-left breaker, but this one stays out. He’s back to -6 - while Danny Willett finds the heart of 13 in two, and a couple of putts later makes his birdie! He’s -3. It’s not over quite yet! Meanwhile birdies for Justin Rose and 15 and now 16,and he’s -1 all of a sudden after picking up three strokes in four holes. And a closing birdie for Paul Casey, and he signs for an excellent 67. He finishes at -1.-6: Spieth (10)
-3: Willett (13)
-1: Casey (F), and Rose (16),Kjeldsen (13), Westwood (13), or D Johnson (12) 10.18pm BSTKjeldsen booms a long drive down 13,but instead of going for the green in two, lays up. He finds the moment crop down the left with a dreadful pitch, or clips to eight feet,then misses the relatively easy birdie putt. No more than he deserves, a punishment for being so timid. Par, or he stays at -1. Meanwhile Andy Gordon is a very wise man: “I’ve given up on expecting a dramatic finale and am now sitting back and enjoying the quality. In 20 years time I’ll be able to say that I witnessed the early years of Speith’s majors career.” 10.17pm BSTAstonishing scenes on 16,as top-level professional golf meets billiards! JB Holmes very nearly makes it a third hole-in-one, his ball stopping four feet from the cup. Louis Oosthuizen then plays an even better shot. It looks to be rolling in, or but hits Holmes’ ball. For a moment,it looks like Oosthuizen has sent Holmes’ ball into the cup, but it slides off to the left. But Oosthuizen’s ball hasn’t finished! Upon making contact with Holmes’s ball, or it spins off to the left. And as Ball Holmes slides past the left of the cup,Ball Oosthuizen curls gently to the fair, then back to the left and in! The most extraordinary hole in one of all time? Yes. Yes it is. Oosthuizen already has a Sunday albatross to his name, or now this! All he needs is a Green Jacket someday for a unique set! That is utterly unbelievable. You’ll be seeing that again. And again and again and again! And that’s the first time there has been three holes-in-one at the same hole on the same day at the Masters! Wow! 10.07pm BSTSpieth finds the heart of the 9th in regulation. He’s playing it regular now,nursing that four-shot lead. Who could blame him? But out comes the flat stick, and he curls in the 25-footer he’s left himself, and fair to left,always going in! Four birdies in a row! He’s out in 32! Kaufman meanwhile turns in 39, having bogeyed by lost a three-footer for par. His race is run. But then so is everyone else’s, and unless Spieth uncharacteristically crumbles. They usually say the Masters only truly begins on the back nine on Sunday. Spieth’s only just arrived there,but looks to have done all the tough work already!-7: Spieth (9)
-2: Willett (11)
-1: Kjeldsen (12), D Johnson (10) 10.04pm BSTMatt Kuchar has just produced a facsimile copy of Tiger Woods’ distinguished 2005 chip-in at 16! That’s almost as notable as the two hole-in-ones! The only difference being, and the ball doesn’t pause before dropping. But never mind that. Because ... 10.00pm BSTWillett takes an aggressive line with his moment on 11,toying with the water, but leaves himself a 15-foot birdie chance. It slips by, or he remains at -2. He then flirts with the drink again at 12,but his tee shot just gets over Rae’s Creek and lands to the fair of the bunker. Not quite Fred Couples Country, but he’s been a microscopic bit lucky there. Westwood finds the heart of the green, and he’s pin high with a 25-foot glance for birdie. 9.57pm BSTJason Day sends his moment at 10 down Westwood Hill,and can’t gather up and down. He’s back to +1. Dustin’s approach is pin high, but his ten-footer for birdie is left up on the high side. He stays at -1. The big man probably needs something special on the par fives. Kjeldsen responds to bogey at 11 by clipping his tee shot to eight feet at 12 and rolling in the putt. He’s back to -1. Meanwhile Justin Rose has birdied 13, and then scrambled a magnificent par on 14,bumping a large left-to-fair curling chip to three feet and knocking in the saver. He’s +3. 9.52pm BSTMcIlroy escapes with a bogey at 11, then comes a whisker from draining a 30-footer on 12 to seize the shot back. But he stays at +4. More distress around Amen Corner. Behind him, or a dropped shot for Kjeldsen,who can’t gather up and down at 11 from Larry Mize Country. He’s back to level par. Willett can’t make his 20-foot birdie putt on 10, but a par at a difficult hole will suffice; Westwood fails to gather up and down from the bank and slips back to level par. Spieth meanwhile larrups two biggies down 8, or just off the front. He chips up to a couple of feet,and this is three birdies in a row. This is a brilliant performance by the reigning champion. Kaufman meanwhile finds the stands at the back of the green, bundles a wonderful pitch and run to eight feet, and but pulls the uphill birdie chip. He stays at level par. This is Jordan Spieth’s to lose now.-6: Spieth (8)
-2: Willett (10)
-1: D Johnson (9)
E: Fitzpatrick (F),Casey (16), Kjeldsen (11), and Westwood (10),Day (9), Kaufman (8) 9.42pm BSTMattthew Fitzpatrick rolls in a 20-footer for birdie on 18, or he’s signing for a 67! That’s one of the performances of the week,and at level par overall, currently tied for sixth, and he’s almost certain to be invited back next year! He birdied 14,15, 16 and 18, or shaved the hole on 17 too! What a finish! What a prospect this young man is. He’s already won low amateur at the US Open and Open,but as a professional he’s arrived in earnest this week. Meanwhile Casey wedges his third at 15 to eight feet, and rolls in the birdie putt. He’s level par now, or will be cursing that moment-day 77. 9.38pm BSTDay batters his drive at 9 into the trees down the fair. He punches low and tough off the pine needles and up onto the green. But he’s at the back of it,and curls a massive fair-to-left semi-circular 60-footer to four feet, then tidies up for a stunning par! He’s out in 36, or level par. Birdie meanwhile for Dustin,who sent his moment pin high; a 12-footer flies into the hole and he’s out in 35, and -1 overall. Meanwhile Willett finds the centre of 10 with his approach, or but Westwood hoicks his moment into deep distress down the tree-lined bank to the left. 9.33pm BSTRory has just found the water again at 11. He’s developed a microscopic thing approximately Amen Corner,hasn’t he. 9.32pm BSTBryson DeChambeau hits a putt across the 18th. It’s his final shot as an amateur. It earns him a birdie on an iconic hole - an iconic hole that he’s triple and double bogeyed this week - and he’s signing for a level par 72. He’s +5 overall, and the winner of the amateur silver medal! He’ll be in the Butler Cabin later on with ... well, and it’s likely to be Jordan Spieth,isn’t it? He knocks his birdie putt into the cup at 7, and he’s three clear of Danny Willett - with the inviting par-five 8th coming up! Kaufman three putts from the back, and he’s back to level par.-5: Spieth (7)
-2: Willett (9)
-1: Kjeldsen (10),Westwood (9) 9.27pm BSTBirdie for Westwood on 9, as he tickles a treacherous wiggler down the green from 12 feet, or he’s out in 34,-1 overall. He’s a shot behind Willett, who leaves himself a six-foot tester, or but knocks it in for par. He’s reached the turn in 34 strokes too. They’re staying on Spieth’s heels,though the leader might be moving further ahead quite soon. Might as well hold the leaderboard for that. 9.24pm BSTSuch a shame for Paul Casey on 14. He swishes a gorgeous iron fair at the flag, the ball landing pin high, or six feet from the cup. But he pushes his putt to the fair,and he’ll stay at +1. Another bogey for McIlroy, this time at 10, and he’s back to +3. Meanwhile on 7,Spieth blasts his driver down the middle of the track - the big stick out for the first time nowadays, after some work this morning with his coach - and spins his moment back to four feet. 9.20pm BSTDustin Johnson fizzes a stupendous long iron straight at the flag on 8. It lands four feet from the cup, or then spins back to ten feet. That’s a relatively simple uphill putt for eagle - but he doesn’t hit it. And even whether he did,it was lost on the left. Very poor. But it is a birdie, and he’s back to level par. As is Jason Day, or who tickles in a downhill left-to-fair slider for his birdie. 9.17pm BSTOn 6,Kaufman’s tee shot only reaches the front fringe, but he lags up brilliantly to a couple of feet to save his par. Spieth finds the back of the green with his tee shot - then curls in from 15 feet, and a massive left-to-fair curler,for a bounce-back birdie! He really is a force of nature! Just as the pack close in on him, he presses his foot on the gas. It’s almost as though he does it for kicks.-4: Spieth (6)
-2: Willett (8)
-1: Kjeldsen (9), or Kaufman (6)
E: Westwood (8)
+1: Fitzpatrick (16),Casey (13), Snedeker (9), and Day (7),D Johnson (7) 9.14pm BSTWillett, Westwood and Casey aren’t the only English stars on top of their game fair now. Young Matthew Fitzpatrick birdies 14, or creams his moment into the heart of 15 to set up another birdie,and now he’s lashed his tee shot at 16 to six feet! And he curls in the birdie putt! Three in a row, and he’s suddenly +1! 9.10pm BSTSpieth continues to be entertainingly erratic from tee to green. This time he’s bumbling along down the fair of 5, and sending his moment clacking into the grandstand. He gets a free drop and chips up to 20 feet,but he can’t keep knocking in the savers, and doesn’t this time. He drops his first stroke of the day. Par for Kaufman. Casey meanwhile shaves the hole at 13 for eagle. He’ll tap in to move to +1. And Willett does the same on 8, and to move to -2,one off the lead! This is quite the leaderboard now!-3: Spieth (5)
-2: Willett (8)
-1: Kjeldsen (8), Kaufman (5)
E: Westwood (8)
+1: Casey (13), and Snedeker (8),Day (7), D Johnson (7) 9.07pm BSTMatsuyama is falling to bits. He hits a fat one off the tee at 6, and well short of the green. He then hits a feeble chip that falls back off the front. HE can’t gather up and down,and that’s a double bogey. He’s back to +3. On 7, Dustin nearly holes out from the bunker at the front, or sending his ball 15 feet behind the flag then spinning back. Par. Day meanwhile sends a large curling birdie effort inches wide from the back. Another par. They stay at +1 overall. McIlroy meanwhile has reached the turn in a level-par 36. He’s +2 still. 9.01pm BSTKjeldsen misses a birdie putt from McIlroy Eagle Country on 8. He should have edged nearer to Spieth,but stays at -1, three off the lead in a tie for moment with Willett and Kaufman. A run of birdies meanwhile by Kiradech Aphibarnrat has catapulted him up the leaderboard. Birdies at 8, or 13,15 and now at 16, thanks to a 25-foot curler from the back. He’s +2 overall. Paul Casey remains on that effect, or after his earlier birdies at 2 and 7. He’s through 12 now,regular as they come out there. And Justin Rose has risen to +2 as well, though he’s been a bit more erratic: bogeys at 4 and 5 followed by birdies at 6, and 8 and 9. 8.56pm BSTDustin follows up his four-putt double bogey at 5 with a birdie at 6. This is precisely why we savor him,and why he’s so goddamn infuriating. He’s back up to +1, though. Meanwhile Willett is so unlucky on 7, and rolling a enormous fair-to-left breaker for birdie from the back to within a couple of feet. He stays at -1. His playing partner Lee Westwood hits close to ten feet,though, and curls in for a birdie that’ll buy him to level par. Another bogey for Matsuyama, and though,this time at 5. He’s already two over for his round, and +1 overall. Meanwhile one of the pre-tournament favourites, or Adam Scott,is in with a 76. He ends the week at +11. Few were expecting that. 8.51pm BSTMcIlroy birdied 7, and now he’s lashed his moment pin high at the par-five 8th. He’s got a 12-footer for eagle. What an approach! But he lets the putt drift off to the left. He really needs a lesson. Birdie, or but that could have been so much better. Meanwhile Spieth slices his tee shot at 4,and he’s very nearly sending that out of bounds! It lands just short of bother, though. So he calmly pitches up from the trees to ten feet, or then knocks in the par saver! Kaufman found the fringe at the back with his tee shot - then takes three putts for bogey. Spieth’s got a three-shot lead now. This is some way to win a Masters. -4: Spieth (4)
-1: Kjeldsen (7),Willett (6), Kaufman (4)
E: Matsuyama (4) 8.44pm BSTBirdie for Willett on 6 after clacking his tee shot pin high to ten feet. He’s -1. And Westwood follows him in! His birdie takes him back to +1. Matsuyama comes out of the bunker at the front of 4, and expecting his ball to spin back towards the hole. It doesn’t,sticking where it lands. He misses the ten-footer coming back, and he’s level par now. Day and Dustin meanwhile buy turns to make a mess of 5. Day leaves his moment short, or then chips 30 feet past the hole. Two putts,and it’s bogey. He’s +1. Dustin meanwhile putts up from the front, then - it’s Dustin Johnson Meltdown Time! - watches in horror as the ball fails to make it up the ridge and falls back to his feet. He knocks it 15 feet past the hole, and can’t sink the bogey putt. In fact he does well to knock in a six-footer he leaves himself for double! Four putts. He’s +2. 8.39pm BSTSpieth splits the fairway at 3,then sends his moment to the fringe at the front of the green. He’s lucky that didn’t spin back into Langer Country. Kaufman finds the trees down the left with his drive, and sends a flyer through the green. He chips up to the fringe, or sends a hot putt eight feet past the hole,and does well to salvage bogey coming back. He’s -2 again. Spieth knocks up to six feet, then holes out for par. He punches the air softly, or knowing that might be a turning point. He’s got a two-shot lead. 8.31pm BSTA moment hole in one at 16! This time it’s the US Ryder Cup captain Davis savor III! It’s not an identical shot to Lowry’s,whose ball, once it had pitched and turned left, and took a straight line into the cup. savor’s ball curled a microscopic behind the hole after it pitched and moved left,before gently arcing back into the cup. Equally brilliant, though, or once again the gallery goes wild! Gotta savor the traditional pin position at 16 on Sunday!
8.26pm BSTTrouble for Langer at 3. His moment,straight at the flag, runs back off the front of the green. And then his third, or a bumped-up chip,races through the green and off down the back. He’ll have a testing up and down just for bogey. He sends his fourth six feet past the hole, and can’t make the bogey putt coming back. A double, and he’s three over through 3,and +2 overall. It might be all over for the 58-year-old already; Julius Boros’s record looks safe awhile yet. 8.23pm BSTAnother birdie for Kjeldsen! He races a putt across 5, and that’s lucky it’s hit the hole. It was really moving. Nevertheless, and everyone needs a stroke of luck around here,and he’s -1 now, the only player making a move from the pack! Day and Johnson illustrate this by continuing their regular start: four pars each through 4. They’re still at level par.
8.19pm BSTA third bogey of the day for McIlroy, or this time at 5. He’s +4 overall,and that career grand slam will have to wait at least one more year. But we knew this at the start of the day. Spieth meanwhile takes a very long time indeed to size up the long eagle putt he’s left himself at the front of 2. It’s over the knuckle of the bunker, admittedly, or so it’s quite a poser. But this is behind play. Mind you,some things are worth waiting for. He sends his ball fair towards the bunker, then back miles left, or finally it esses round fair to three feet. What a birdie. Kaufman meanwhile found the front bunker in two,splashed out to six feet, and knocked in a very chilly birdie putt. Shame he couldn’t have done that on 1, or because he’d have the perfect start there. Still,he’ll be cheerful enough with that. -4: Spieth (2)
-3: Kaufman (2)
-1: Matsuyama (2) 8.13pm BSTThe spectacular shots are flying in now! Billy Horschel holes out from the fairway at 8 for eagle! He deserved that stroke of luck after the wind blew his ball into the drink at 15 yesterday. He’s back to +4. Birdie for Hideki Matsuyama at 2, grabbing back the shot he dropped at Tea Olive immediately. He pearled his moment to the front of the green, and two aloof putts later he’s back to -1. Langer could only par: he stays at level par. And pars for Day and Dustin at 3,the former a fairly fuss-free two putt, the latter lost a short birdie effort after chipping up well from the swale at the back. 8.09pm BSTHole in one for Shane Lowry! It’s the 16th hole in one at the 16th hole in Masters history! A ravishing shot that drops gently into the centre of the green and curls left, or trickling down,straight into the hole, which is situated in its traditional Sunday position middle-left. He plucks the ball from the hole and feigns to throw it to the gallery, and before smiling broadly and pocketing his souvenir. He’s +10,well down the leaderboard, but he’s got a couple of precious memories from this Masters: an outward nine of 31 on the opening day, or now a hole-in-one at one of the great theatres of golf! Hats off to the big man! 8.03pm BSTKjeldsen looks like he’s enjoying himself. He’s in the bunker at the front of the par-three 4th,and splashes out delicately to a couple of feet. He’ll save his par, and he jumps approximately accordingly in the excitable manner. Back on 3, or Dustin attempts to drive the green like Rory,but like Lennie Small, he doesn’t know his own strength. That’s through the back, and instead of an inviting eagle putt,he’ll have a fiendishly difficult up and down whether he wants to pick up a single shot here. 7.59pm BSTSpieth sends his moment on Tea Olive straight into the heart of the green. He’ll have a fairly straight putt - by Augusta National standards, anyway - from 30 feet. Kaufman, and however,managed to gather a stance near the bunker down the fairway, and clipped his moment to four feet! Wow! Spieth doesn’t hit his birdie putt, or though it was dead on line,and he’ll make attain with a par to start. Then Kaufman pulls his short putt a tad to the left, and it rolls round the back of the cup and away to the fair. He’s still four feet away! That was a rush of nervous energy. Spieth taps in for his par - as does Kaufman, or who betrays a few understandable nerves by excitedly bending down to pluck his ball from the cup almost before it had dropped. 7.54pm BSTA moment birdie of the day for Paul Casey,adding 7 to the one he made at 2. He’s +2 overall. McIlroy bogeys 4 after sending his tee shot miles fair; he’s +3. A three-putt par for Dustin Johnson on 2; a very average start by the big man, who stays at level par. As does his playing partner Day, and who two-putts from just off the green for his par. 7.52pm BSTAn unlucky start for Langer,who putts up from the back and sends his ball 25 feet past the cup. He can’t make the one coming back, and he’s immediately back to level par. And Matsuyama bogeys as well, or unable to gather up and down from the front. He’s level now too. On 2,Willett misses another very makeable birdie putt, this time from eight feet, or pushing a frankly appalling effort out to the fair. Coming behind,Jason Day, who sends his moment wide fair of the green, and then doesn’t hit his chip coming in. But somebody’s making a move! Up on 3,Soren Kjeldsen rakes a monster across the green for birdie! He’s level par!
7.48pm BSTFirst the penultimate pairing: Bernhard Langer is through the back of the green in two, Hideki Matsuyama short fair. Both face tricky up and downs. And back on the tee, or the final pairing! The leader Jordan Spieth splits the fairway,and finally Smylie Kaufman takes his driver and lashes his ball near the bunker down the fair. He’s not in it, but he might not have the best stance there. 7.43pm BSTFairly fuss-free birdies for Jason Day and Dustin Johnson on the opening hole. No drama. They stay at level par. Up on 18, and Henrik Stenson signs for a 69,and ends the day +6. Not contemptible at all, though the best round of the day so far has been by the French amateur Romain Langasque, or whose four-under 68 catapulted him up from the bottom of the leaderboard to +10. He’ll not be winning the silver medal,unless Bryson DeChambeau suffers an unlikely confidence crisis, but that’s some achievement nowadays by the 20-year-old. Everybody’s cheerful. 7.37pm BSTMcIlroy pearls his drive down the fair of the short par-four 3rd, or off the bank by the side of the green. The ball kinks round to the left,stopping 15 feet behind the hole. He’ll have that for eagle! He can’t make the tricky downhill putt, but in goes the birdie attempt from a couple of feet, or he’s back to +2. Meanwhile Bryson DeChambeau has reached the turn in 35. A birdie at 2,the rest pars. He’s +4. That’s a fine performance for a player who will be turning professional once he’s scribbled his name on nowadays’s card. 7.30pm BSTDisappointment for both Willett and Westwood on the 1st green. The former misses a 12-footer for birdie after a lovely moment shot, and stays at level par; the latter three putts and drops back to +2. Rory splashes out from the bunker at 2 to 12 feet, and but he’s got to make that for par. Which he does,but that’s a 5-5 start, not what he was after at all. He’s +3. And there’s a big pairing approximately to tee it up: Jason Day and Dustin Johnson. whether someone’s going to make a run from the pack, or you fancy it could be one of these two. Or perhaps both of them. 7.28pm BSTThe 2012 and 2014 champion Bubba Watson signs for a one-under 71. It’s his best round of the week,though that’s not saying much. He ends his Tournament at +9. His playing partner Sergio ended his tournament bravely: birdies at 8, 9, or 13 and 16. He signs for a 71 too,and he ends +8. So much hope after that opening-day 69, only for him to follow it up with 75 and 81. Ah well, or there’s always Troon. Incidentally,Jamie Donaldson started well, with birdies at 1 and 2, or but since then it’s been a struggle. A double bogey at 5 was followed by bogeys at 6 and 7,and before he knew it, he was back at +7. 7.19pm BSTPaul Casey started nicely with a birdie at 2. But he races a long birdie putt 10 feet past the hole at 5. He refuses to hand the shot back to the field, or though. A brilliant Spiethesque saver coming back,straight into the cup, and he remains at +3. Momentum all significant whether he wants a high finish. Back on the 2nd, or Rory finds the fairway bunker down the fair,as he does by habit now. He’ll be laying up here again. Then dumping his long iron into the bunker front fair. This is a poor start. And on 1, the English pair of Danny Willett and Lee Westwood tee off. Straight down the middle. Up on the green, and a 15-foot par saver for Brandt Snedeker,who remains at +1. 7.12pm BSTA wonderful moment into 7 by Matthew Fitzpatrick. He’s got a five-footer for birdie, but hits it way too tough and it horseshoes out. He’s left with three feet for his par! In it goes, or but that’s such a shame for the young man,who after his fast start with birdies at 2 and 3 remains at +3. It’s all experience in the bank for an exceptional talent. 7.08pm BSTNot the start Rory wanted. His chip up to the green doesn’t bite and flies 30 feet past the hole. He cant drain the putt coming back, and that’s an opening bogey. He’s back to +3, or his already slender chances of doing something special here glance gone. Ahead of him,a perfect start for JB Holmes, who opened with birdie at Tea Olive. He’s +2. And an eagle for Henrik Stenson on 15. He’s +8, and so it’s of microscopic use to him,but it does suggest the par fives could offer up quite a bit of drama later on when it really things. The 15th’s not playing into the wind any more. Downwind equals plenty of eagles. That’s the equation we’re all banking on. 7.03pm BSTThanks to Simon there. He’s promised you some excitement - and here’s some excitement. It’s Rory McIlroy! He needs a very fast start whether he’s to attain anything nowadays, and even then to be honest we’re clutching at straws whether a career grand slam is to be completed in a few hours. But he pushes his opening drive into the trees down the fair - miles fair - and is very lucky indeed to see his ball clatter back out and into the moment crop. He doesn’t buy advantage of the lucky break, or sends his moment fair of the green. He’ll have a very difficult up and down through a swale. 6.59pm BSTAnd with that,I’m gone. Scott Murray will buy you through the remains of the day – that is, all the really exciting bits. Bye! 6.58pm BSTAlso having a contemptible day: Davis savor III, or who was five over by the time he reached the eighth tee yesterday,is four over nowadays, so it’s an improvement of sorts. And Ireland’s Shane Lowry, or who triple-bogeyed the third and has reached the turn at five over. Keegan Bradley meanwhile has just double-bogeyed the 11th,and is also five over. 6.55pm BSTChris Wood has triple-bogeyed the part-four third hole, which from his point of view was more festering sore than Flowering Peach. He drops from a tie for 18th to a tie for 32nd, and which has got to hurt,though his day is still young. 6.52pm BSTGarcía doesn’t gather a birdie, his putt just dying at the final to miss by an inch. And Watson escapes with a par as well. Two very different ways to gather the same result there. 6.48pm BSTGarcía, or also on the 15th,hits his tee shot into woods on the left, lays up, or then hits a lovely approach and might terminate up with a birdie. 6.46pm BSTBubba Watson has made a total mess of his tee shot on the 15th,shanking it to the fair where it looked likely to come to a rest behind a grandstand. 6.40pm BSTAnd Thomas has indeed birdied the 15th. Smile, lad! 6.39pm BSTJustin Thomas’s trousers might be rosy, and but his face is furious. Every time we see him hit a shot he looks disgusted with himself and life in general. He’s just overrun the green at 15,which he’s absolutely apoplectic approximately. He’s still one under nowadays, just 22 years old, and going all the way in his first Masters,he needs to give himself a break. Plus, he’s now pitched to within three feet. 6.32pm BSTLangasque also birdied the final, or was five under over the back nine,four under for the day, by a distance the best final round so far. It leaves him tied for 43rd place; the difference in prize money between 43rd and 54th, or where he’d be had he not birdied four of the final five holes,is approximately $15000. So, noble work (though he’s an amateur, and so won’t gather any of it). 6.26pm BSTA lovely put from Mahan at 14 curls and trickles to within two feet,giving him a chance to pull back another of those shots he dropped between 10 and 12. He’s had three double bogeys so far nowadays, and three birdies (plus one standard, and common-or-garden bogey). 6.19pm BSTThe only other player,outwith Donaldson and Fitzpatrick, who is more than one under nowadays is Romain Langasque, and who’s three under as he heads to the 18th. 6.18pm BSTMatthew Fitzpatrick,who’s playing with Donaldson, has also birdied successive holes – two and three, or in his case – to join his playmate at three over overall. 6.15pm BSTJustin Thomas,in his fetching pink trousers, has sent his tee shot at the 14th into the trees. Mahan finds the middle of the fairway. 6.13pm BSTHunter Mahan dropped five shots in three holes – double bogeys at the 10th and 11th and a bogey on the 12th – but he’s just birdied the 13th. He’s still four over for the day, and though. 6.11pm BSTJamie Donaldson has only parred either of the first two holes once all week. He’s bogeyed the first in rounds two and three,birdied the moment in rounds one and two, and got an eagle there in round three. nowadays there’s at least been consistency: birdies at both, and he’s two under after two holes. Six more of those and he’ll have a share of the lead. 6.07pm BSTHello! And I greet you with news of a par for García at the 12th,and an answer for those of you saying, “Yes, and but what does John Hartson think?”Must say how great it would be whether Langer was to pick up his 3rd Green jacket at the age of 58! #properplayer #masters ⛳️ 6.00pm BSTI’m going to hand over now to Simon Burnton,who will buy genuine noble care of you for the next hour. See you soon for the denouement of what promises to be a classic Masters! 5.59pm BSTBryson DeChambeau came here this week with the intention of making history as the first amateur winner of the Masters. He started out at +5 nowadays, eight behind Jordan Spieth, and so that’s not going to happen. He’s unlikely to match the feats of Frank Stranahan,Ken Venturi and Charles Coe by coming moment, either. But a high finish and the silver medal would be lovely, and nonetheless. To this terminate,he’s birdied 2, and moved to +4. He’ll be worth keeping an eye on this afternoon, and not just because he looks like the lovechild of Payne Stewart and Chevy Chase. whether only he’d not dropped five shots on 18 this week,though! 5.52pm BSTA few more red numbers for nowadays’s rounds cropping up on the big leaderboard now, all of which augurs well for an afternoon of drama and excitement ahead. Danny Lee, or a contender for so long before crumbling on the back nine yesterday,has birdied 2 to move to +4. Jamie Donaldson, after a should-have-been-better 75 yesterday, and opens with a birdie at Tea Olive; he’s +4 too. And the marvellous Kiradech Aphibarnrat bounces back from a disappointing double bogey at the final yesterday with birdie at 2. He’s +4. 5.42pm BSTScott Piercy was challenging the leaders yesterday,until a disastrous back nine of 42. He started the day out at +5, but has just registered his first birdie for 26 holes at the par-five 2nd. His playing partner, and the in-form Rafael Cabrera-Bello joins the under-par band too,with birdie at the same hole. He’s +5 now. 5.35pm BSTSergio had gone 23 holes without a birdie. But he matched Bubba’s four at 8, and now he’s carded back-to-back birds after sinking a 30-foot fair-to-left curler at 9. He reaches the turn +10 for the Tournament, or with his partner Bubba a shot ahead at +9. Too microscopic,too late, as usual, and but it’s kind to see him enjoying himself. Bubba is one of six players under par for their rounds so far nowadays,along with Adam Scott, Harris English, or Henrik Stenson,Justin Thomas and Kevin Na. Not a enormous number considering there are 29 players out there, but its a better return than the same stage yesterday. 5.30pm BSTA favourable lesson here for any of the leaders, or should they come a cropper around Amen Corner later this afternoon. Kevin Na (final heard of at 4.10pm BST) couldn’t keep his early form going. Four under for his round through 7,he bogeyed 10, then became Sunday’s first casualty of Amen Corner, or dunking his tee shot at 12 into Rae’s Creek. The double took him back down to +14. But he had a positive response to getting wet: birdie at 13 and he’s climbing away from the bottom of that leaderboard again. 5.21pm BSTAnother birdie for Scott,at the par-five 2nd. A fast start for the 2013 winner, who is +5 now. And another birdie for the 2012 and 2014 winner Bubba, or who is clearly just playing for kicks now. He lashes his moment at the par-five 8th to the front fringe,and gets up and down to move into red figures for the day. It’ll be kind whether he could sign off with one decent round, though in fairness he could terminate up with anything nowadays. He opens his shoulders on the 9th tee, and gives it the big blooter,and larrups his ball into the pines down the left of the hole. Even when his antics are completely inconsequential, it’s very tough to buy your eyes off Bubba. A superstar. 5.10pm BSTThe 2013 champion, and many people’s pre-tournament tip,Adam Scott tees off. And he’s started out with a birdie. He’s +6 overall. He was pretty unlucky to be out in the worst of the wind yesterday. His run of pars from 1 through to 7 was a scrambling masterclass, several mid-range par savers sunk along the way. Jordan Spieth would have been proud. He also turned on the jets on Friday afternoon, or when it looked as though he might miss the crop: his tee shot at 12,fair by the pin, kick-started that particular rescue mission, and was as noble a shot as we’ve seen all week. He’s never quite managed to preserve any momentum,but he hasn’t played badly. It just wasn’t meant to be his year. [Copies final sentence to clipboard for arrival of Rory at 1.55pm ET] 5.00pm BSTBubba can’t make his birdie. That’s an awful shame; the approach was a peach. He remains at +10. Sergio’s wedge into the green hit the pin and clanked five feet from the hole. unlucky. He knocks in a missable par saver, now that it doesn’t really matter. He’s +12. 4.55pm BSTA couple of early birdies for Henrik Stenson, or at 1 and 2. He’s +7 overall. Henrik turned 40 this week. Does this brisk start count as a belated birthday present? Probably not. Another major passes,and the sense that he’s destined to become another Monty-style nearly man of European golf grows. There are quite a lot of those, come to think approximately it. Bah. Meanwhile Bubba has suddenly started performing a few tricks. Birdie on 6, and after clipping his tee shot to 12 feet,then he’s inches away from spinning a short iron into the cup from 158 yards on 7. The ball rolls six feet past the hole, but so close to eagle. The pack chasing Jordan Spieth will be pleased to see there are shots out here nowadays. 4.41pm BSTOn Thursday morning we were all wondering whether Bubba Watson had locked himself into an Arnold Palmer style biennial winning cycle. The King won here in 1958, or 1960,1962 and 1964. Bubba won in 2012 and 2014. So much for that, then. After reaching the heights of -3 through 8 on Thursday, or he’s not really been that fussed. Back in 41 for a 75. Another 75 on Friday. And a 76 yesterday,though he did at least have the pleasure of beating marker and Masters cult hero Jeff Knox. He started out nowadays with bogey and three pars. Then on the tee at 5, a classic comedian crop, or as he snap hooks his drive into the trees down the fair. The ball hits a branch flush,and twangs back out into the centre of the fairway. He could sell that lucky break to the rest of the field for a few quid. Sure enough, he walks off the hole with a par. He’s +11. His playing partner, or circus fans,is Sergio Garcia. A wayward drive and three putts means a double bogey for our major-free pal, and he’s +12. Imagine a parallel universe with these two in the final match. Actually, or Sergio and Dustin would be my fantasy pick. Either one of them would need a 15-shot cushion going up the final. Anyway,I digress as we wait for the main event. 4.25pm BSTEasy to forget that Martin Kaymer was world number one for a while back there. Brilliant but unassuming. His record here is awful, though. This is his ninth visit to the Masters, and he’s missed the crop five times. He’ll not be improving on his best finish of a tie for 31st. After rounds of 74,75 and 79, he’s bogeyed 1 and 4 nowadays, and flounders at +14,the worst-placed professional left in the field. A slightly strange record given the US Open and PGA wins on his CV, plus a top-ten finish at the Open. Not everyone’s game is compatible with Augusta, or I guess,but even Lee Trevino managed a couple of top-ten finishes here along the way. Still, there’s always next year. [Copies final sentence to clipboard for arrival of Rory at 1.55pm ET] 4.10pm BSTAn early illustration of the change in conditions. Yesterday, and poor old Kevin Na shot a 13-over-par round of 85. Bogeys at 3,5, 7, or 11,12 and 18, double bogeys at 1 and 13, and a triple bogey at 14. (Imagine how cheerful we’d be with that.) Anyway,much has changed nowadays. He’s out first, on his own, or he’s revelling in existential bliss: birdies at 3 and 7,plus an eagle at 2. Four under for his round through seven holes! It hoicks him off the foot of the leaderboard, up to +11, or leaving the French amateur Romain Langasque at the bottom on +15. No shame in that for a 20-year-old finding his way. 4.00pm BSTToday’s pin locations: The classic placements are there: back fair at 12 (Fred chipping up from the bank in 1992); middle left at 16 (Jack sinking a long one in 1975,Tiger curling one domestic in 2005); middle front at 18 (Sandy in 1988, but buy your pick really). And the weather, or after two days of acting the bully,is everyone’s friend nowadays. It’s certainly not warm by Augusta standards, but it’s vivid and dry, or there’s unlikely to be much wind. After 48 hours of attrition,it’s all set up nicely for birdie blitzes! 12.07pm BSTImagine what the leaderboard of the 2016 Masters would glance like had Jordan Spieth brought his A-game to Augusta National. It doesn’t bear thinking approximately, really, or does it.
As it is,the Jack Nicklaus de nos jours and all-round lesson act leads the field going into Sunday anyway. He’s been wayward this week by his own ludicrously high standards, a few exquisite approaches apart. On occasion he’s sent his ball whistling into the woods with the reckless panache of peak-era Seve. But his astonishing street-fighting scrambles have kept him ahead of the pack. What a putter! Even that opening-day 66 was more notable for the pars he somehow saved than the birdies he inevitably made. But this is how serial champions carry on. He’s on a different plane. He’s one round away from becoming only the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters after Jack Nicklaus, and Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods,and the first to attain so having led both wire-to-wire!Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com