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This was a day through which Tiger Woods created undesirable historical past. This was a day the place Scottie Scheffler – solely briefly – displayed his fallibility. This was a day the place the newest glimpse of golf’s thrilling future was supplied by Ludvig Åberg. It feels a pity that this Masters, already one for the ages, has to conclude.
Woods entered the file books on Friday after turning into the primary participant to efficiently negotiate 24 Masters cuts in a row. True to kind, the 48-year-old made daring predictions about difficult for the Inexperienced Jacket. We must always most likely know higher by now than to fall beneath the Woods spell. Father Time is crushed by no man. A ragged first 9 of 42 was his worst at Augusta Nationwide. It didn’t get a lot better thereafter. Woods signed for an 82, his poorest Masters spherical by 4. Each of these 78s got here in 2022; Woods’s sample now could be undoubtedly one among normal decline. When taking to the rostrum for post-round media duties – and it’s totally to his credit score that he did that – Woods regarded emotionally and bodily spent.
“I didn’t have an excellent warm-up session and I saved it going all day at this time,” Woods mentioned. “I simply hit the ball in all of the locations that I do know I shouldn’t hit it. And I missed a whole lot of putts. Simple, makable putts. I missed a whole lot of them.
“I haven’t competed and performed a lot. I made a putt on the fifth, I promptly three-putted the sixth and flubbed a chip on the seventh. I simply bought it going the unsuitable manner and once I had alternatives to flip it, I didn’t.”
Woods did insist there was no prospect of Masters withdrawal earlier than spherical 4. “My staff will get me prepared,” he mentioned. Sooner or later, presumably quickly, he has to ask if it’s all definitely worth the trouble. Sunday will mark his one centesimal Masters spherical. There is no such thing as a pleasure to be derived from watching him fumble and stumble like this at a venue the place he as soon as dominated.
He minimize a disconsolate determine because the event correct raged on within the background. Scheffler, the unflappable Scheffler, surprisingly supplied hope to the sector with a messy double bogey on the tenth. He proceeded to drop one other shot on the eleventh. At 5.30pm native time Åberg joined the Masters lead for the primary time with a birdie on the thirteenth. It appeared superb to contemplate that is the Swede’s first main look. A Scandinavian assault on Augusta had earlier seen Nicolai Højgaard tie Scheffler on the summit of the leaderboard. Højgaard painfully shipped 4 photographs in a row from the eleventh tee.
Åberg, too, was to stumble. The fifteenth gives alternative. As an alternative, Europe’s rising star chipped over the inexperienced and dropped a shot. He had executed likewise a gap earlier. Åberg stays firmly within the Masters hunt however must win from behind. A 70 left him at minus 4.
Scheffler appeared upset at tales of his demise being whispered. He rattled residence a 31ft early putt on the thirteenth to retake a share of the lead at six beneath par. Collin Morikawa, a two-time main winner, was now alongside him. Scheffler edged himself clear by changing for a birdie on the fifteenth. One other one, on the final, atoned for an error on the seventeenth. Scheffler’s minus seven leads Morikawa’s minus six after 54 holes. The world No 1 signed for a 71.
Choosing the champion out of this melee can be a idiot’s errand. Max Homa is 5 beneath.
Bryson DeChambeau, a key protagonist over three days, was in panic mode earlier than holing out from the 18th fairway and 80 yards for a birdie. His tee shot discovered woodland. DeChambeau closed at three beneath. Beware Xander Schauffele, one shot additional again.
Rory McIlroy must wait a minimum of one other 12 months to finish the profession grand slam. Injury to McIlroy was executed throughout a second spherical of 77. He was in higher kind throughout Saturday’s 71 however points this time in Georgia seem way more technical for McIlroy than psychological. Briefly, he’s not taking part in notably properly. This has been a theme all through 2024.
“All I can do is come right here and take a look at my finest,” mentioned McIlroy. “That’s what I do each time I present up. Some years it’s higher than others. I’ve simply bought to maintain displaying up and attempt to do the appropriate factor. I need to exit and end on a constructive observe.” Taylor Swift was closely rumoured to be making an look at Augusta on Saturday. In the long run there have been no sightings of the pop icon however the Masters gives an irritating Clean House on McIlroy’s in any other case illustrious CV.
Jon Rahm, like McIlroy, is taking part in for locations. The 2023 champion is 5 over after a 72. Rahm has led tributes to his compatriot José María Olazábal, who made the minimize some 25 years on from the second of his Masters triumphs. “He loves this recreation,” mentioned Rahm of Olazábal. “Why else would he nonetheless be right here attempting to compete and grinding on the market. At his age, it’s unbelievable. There are numerous of these nice gamers that hold combating once they actually don’t want to simply as a result of they like it a lot.” It could certainly be not possible to not be captivated by this.
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