The third round of The Masters at Augusta National featured a tight leaderboard with a dozen golfers within six shots of the lead. Scottie Scheffler led at one point but had a rollercoaster round with a double-bogey and a bogey before finishing with an eagle on 13 to regain the lead. Only three players managed to break 70 on Saturday: Tony Finau, Chris Kirk, and Collin Morikawa. Morikawa’s solid round put him in contention for his first green jacket with three straight birdies to start his day. Bryson DeChambeau struggled late with a double-bogey on 15 but salvaged his round with a birdie on 18, remaining four shots back.
Max Homa demonstrated consistency on Saturday with just one bogey on his card. However, in a field where Scheffler and Morikawa are unlikely to drop shots, Homa will need to make a move to contend for his first major title. Ludvig Aberg, making his major debut, was four-under through 13 holes but finished with a two-under 70 after bogeys on 14 and 15. Despite his strong performance, Aberg sits three shots behind the lead. Moving day at The Masters did not see significant score changes apart from Scheffler and Morikawa, with a tight leaderboard where four players were tied for the lead at one point.
Scheffler, the pre-tournament favorite, is currently the live-betting favorite to win the green jacket, but with the leaderboard tightly packed and scores not as low in the previous rounds, the outcome is still uncertain. Jon Rahm was the last player to put on the green jacket at Augusta National, and Bubba Watson was the last to regain it within three years, achieving the feat in 2014. The tournament has seen players like DeChambeau struggle with consistency, with him playing 72 professional holes for the first time since the Open Championship last year, having joined the LIV in 2022. Despite his initial lead, he now trails by four shots heading into the final round.
The highly anticipated final round at Augusta National is poised for an exciting finish, with Scheffler leading the pack but facing stiff competition from a talented field of golfers within striking distance. With the green jacket up for grabs, Scheffler will need to maintain his composure and fend off challenges from players like Morikawa, DeChambeau, Homa, and Aberg. The Masters often delivers thrilling moments and unexpected outcomes, and this year’s tournament promises to be no different. Golf fans eagerly await the conclusion of the event to see who will emerge victorious and don the coveted green jacket.
