AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Live updates from Sunday’s third and fourth round of the Masters (all times local):
12:45 p.m.
The final round of the Masters is underway, with twosomes going off both the first and 10th tees to ensure the weather-plagued tournament finishes on schedule.
Brooks Koepka is 11 under and maintaining a two-shot lead over Jon Rahm. Both players finished up the third round with matching 1-over 73s.
Koepka, a four-time major champion who now plays on the upstart LIV Golf tour, will tee off with the Spaniard in the final group at 2:33 p.m.
Norway’s Viktor Hovland is three shots back, while Patrick Cantlay will be looking to make up a four-stroke deficit.
It looks like there will be a first-time Masters champion. The only former winner in the top eight is Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who is six shots off the lead.
There is no threat of rain, which forced suspensions the last two days. In fact, the sun has come out at Augusta National.
But the wind is whipping and the temperature has yet to reach 60 degrees.
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11:55 a.m.
Brooks Koepka is 18 holes away from winning his fifth major championship and striking a blow for LIV Golf.
The 32-year-old Koepka holds a two-stroke lead over Spain’s Jon Rahm entering the final round of the weather-delayed Masters. Koepka shot 73 for the third round and is a 11 under for the tournament. Rahm also posted a 73 for the round that started on Saturday prior to being suspended because of weather.
The weather has improved with no rain in the forecast.
Norway’s Viktor Hovland made five straight birdies on the back nine to fight his way back into contention at 8 under, three shots back
Patrick Cantley is in fourth place at 6 under, one shot better than 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and Russell Henley.
Amateur Sam Bennett, who shot back-to-back 68s to open the tournament, has fallen off the pace after a 76 in the third round leaving him tied for seventh place with Collin Marikawa at 4 under.
Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods withdrew from the tournament before play resumed Sunday due to injury.
The fourth round begins at 12:30 p.m. with players going off holes No. 1 and 10 in twosomes. Koepka and Rahm will play together in the final pairing. ___
11:05 a.m.
Norway’s Viktor Hovland has climbed back into contention at the Masters following a birdie binge.
The world’s No. 9 player was able to string together five straight birdies on the back nine to climb to 8 under for the tournament, just four shots back of leader Brooks Koepka with two holes left to play in his third round.
Hovland became just the third player since the end of World War II to birdie holes 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 in the same round at the Masters, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The others are Tommy Nakajima in 1983 and Paul Casey in 2018. The streak ended when he made par on 16.
Hovland shared the first-round lead with Koepka and Jon Rahm after shooting 65 on Thursday but a 73 in the second round.
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10:45 a.m.
Scottie Scheffler’s bid to repeat at the Masters is in serious jepardy.
The world’s No. 1 player finished his third round with a 71, leaving him tied for 18th place and 10 shots behind leader Brooks Koepka. The largest final round comeback at the Masters belongs to Jack Burke Jr., who battled back from eight strokes to beat amateur Ken Venturi in 1956.
Scheffler dominated the 2022 Masters, winning by three strokes over Rory McIlroy despite a four-putt for double-bogey at the final hole. He was looking to become the first repeat Masters champion since Tiger Woods accomplished the feat in 2001 and 2002. Scheffler was the betting favorite coming into the tournament.
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9:25 a.m. It didn’t take long for things to get interesting at the Masters.
Jon Rahm is applying some early pressure on leader Brooks Koepka and trails by just two shots with 10 holes completed in the third round.
Koepka led by four strokes when play resumed Sunday morning with both players starting on the No. 7 green following the suspension of play Saturday due to heavy rains. Koepka misfired on his par putt while Rahm rolled in his birdie, representing a two-shot swing in a matter of minutes.
Koepka, who plays on the LIV tour, is at 13 under.
Patrick Cantley is in third place at 7 under, while amateur Sam Bennett is in fourth place at 6 under.
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8:30 a.m.
Get set for a long day at Augusta National.
Players are back on the course at the weather-plagued Masters for the completion of the third round, with Brooks Koepka holding a four-stroke lead over Jon Rahm.
The tournament was suspended both Friday and Saturday because of inclement conditions, leading to a condensed schedule for the final day.
One player who won’t face the grueling day is Tiger Woods. He withdrew Sunday morning, noting on Twitter that he had reaggravated his plantar fasciitis.
After the third round is completed, the players will be re-grouped into pairings and sent off at 12:30 p.m. from both the first and 10th tees. That should provide enough time for the usual finish early Sunday evening.
It’s been 40 years since the Masters ended on a Monday.
Koepka’s fitness could be a factor since he’ll have to play 30 holes on Sunday. He’s still got 12 more holes left in the third round before he returns for the final round.
Play will go on without five-time champion Tiger Woods, who withdrew Sunday morning due to injury.
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7:45 a.m.
Five-time champion Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the Masters due to injury.
Woods was in last place among the golfers who had made the cut at 9 over when play was suspended Saturday. He was injured in a car accident in 2021 that nearly cost him his leg, and he spent part of this week in obvious pain limping around the course at Augusta National. Still, he made the cut for the 23rd straight time, tying a tournament record.
When Woods returned to the course Saturday afternoon to begin his weather-delayed third round, he struggled mightily and was 6 over through seven holes when play was suspended again. He did not return to finish the round Sunday.
It’s the first time that Woods has not completed 72 holes at Augusta National as a professional. He withdrew prior to the final round of the PGA Championship last year amid similarly cold, wet conditions at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Brooks Koepka is the leader with playing resuming at 8:30 a.m. He is 13 under with 12 holes to play in his third round.
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