Masters 2025 LIVE!
Rory McIlroy will take a commanding lead into the last day of the Masters after he produced a stunning display on Saturday, scoring three on each of the opening six holes as he romped to a -6 score on the day. His overall tally of -12 is second to none, with Bryson DeChambeau finishing just two strokes behind as he birdied the final hole.
For Justin Rose, it was a day to forget. He started the day atop the table, looking forward to a first major win since winning a maiden US Open in 2013, but never quite got going on Saturday, enduring a blend of mistakes and misfortune. Drawing on his nearly three decades of professional golfing experience, though, he limited the damage, finishing at 3 over to remain within six of McIlroy. A dream win may now be out of reach, particularly as he bogeyed the 18th hole, but it is far from impossible.
He is on par with Scottie Sheffler and Shane Lowry, both of whom stumbled as they looked to close the gap to the leaders.
Among other contenders is Canada’s Corey Conners, who has won just two PGA titles in his career and never finished higher than sixth at a major. He crosses the line third today, though, two strokes shy of DeChambeau and four shy of the fan favourite McIlroy despite being considered a rank outsider ahead of the tournament.
Masters 2025 latest leaderboard
He's done it again!
19:49 , Arthur FerridgeIf yesterday was a historically fast start for McIlroy as he became the first to ever score 3s on each of the first six holes, today could go down in history as one of the worst.
McIlroy finds the bunker with his hole two drive as DeChambeau’s opener sails within one stroke of the green.
Double bogey for McIlroy on hole one
19:45 , Arthur FerridgeThat is a miserable start - DeChambeau draws level on the first hole as McIlroy struggles to recover from his wayward first drive.
And just like that, his lead evaporates and the tournament is blown wide open.
Subpar starts for both of the favourites
19:33 , Arthur FerridgeHis first drive crashes into the bunker with a comic ‘thud’.
DeChambeau, though, receives raucous applause from the crowd and goes on to hook his drive well left of the fairway.
Feeling the nerves, lads?
McIlroy and DeChambeau begin their rounds
19:30 , Arthur FerridgeHere. We. Go. The most hotly anticipated round of golf in recent memory is now underway.
What awaits over the next four hours? Will it be history or heartbreak for McIlroy? Can DeChambeau complete another comeback against the Irishman?
Stay tuned to find out.
Conners and Reed enter the fray
19:24 , Arthur FerridgeThe penultimate group of the day get themselves underway, both finding the fairways with their first shots.
Scheffler, Lowry, and Schaufelle are underway
19:19 , Arthur FerridgeAll three are even: Scheffler and Lowry through one, Schaufelle through two.
"The greatest moment of the millenium"
19:10 , Arthur FerridgeThat is some call from Sir Nick Faldo.
The six-time major winner says a win today for McIlroy would be the greatest golfing moment of the millennium.
Sorry, Tiger. Don’t take it personally.
In the meantime...
19:05 , Arthur FerridgeJustin Rose is underway!
He will be disappointed to be where he is on the leaderboard, starting the day seven strokes shy of McIlroy despite leading into Saturday.
Could a comeback be on the cards for the 44-year-old Londoner?
He has managed a birdie on hole one. Start as you mean to go on, right?
DeChambeau and McIlroy prepare for a career-defining round
18:57 , Arthur FerridgeOf all the people to bump in to on the putting green, McIlroy probably will not have wanted to see Bryson DeChambeau.
The pair share the practice area ahead of their match.
Schaufelle the first to set sights on the leaderboard
18:47 , Arthur FerridgeXander Schaufelle has embarked on his final round, and could well be the first player of the day to demand a rearrangement of the leaderboard.
He gets started at -4 after shooting a 70 on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Hideki Matsuyama closes out his 18 holes with a bogey, though hits -6 for the day. A fantastic effort.
The leaders are fast approaching
18:31 , Arthur FerridgeThe business end of the tournament looms: there are just 20 more minutes to wait until a title contender embarks on his final round.
Xander Schaufelle is due to get underway at 6:40pm BST, with Justin Rose and Zach Johnson just behind him.
The round of the day, though, McIlroy and Dechambeau, begins an hour from now.
McIlroy has arrived at the course
18:30 , Arthur FerridgeIf Rory McIlroy is feeling any nerves ahead of today’s round, he is not showing them. He says he spent the morning watching tennis to allay the stress.
He said: “Sunday mornings are good for sport, so I watched Alcaraz win in Monte Carlo, some soccer, some F1, I just kept myself distracted with other sports. Once you get to the golf course, things settle down, you get into your routine, do what is familiar, and that is comforting.”
On his historic six straight threes to start yesterday’s round, he said: “I am certainly not expecting that start again, but I think just going out there, hitting the first fairway, hitting the first green, and going from there. I can only control the moment in front of me and that starts with the first tee shot.”
Matsuyama absolutely flying
18:18 , Arthur FerridgeThe 2021 Masters champion is playing the round of his life!
He is -6 through 15 holes, undoing the mire of his earlier rounds to take his overall score to -2 with three holes remaining in his 2025 Masters.
He has hit back-to-back birdies twice already this round, on holes 8 and 9, and 14 and 15.
Greens seem to be causing problems
18:10 , Arthur FerridgeSeveral of those out on the course already look to be having a tricky time reading the greens.
Jon Rahm is the latest to fall victim, very slightly overhitting a long range, heavily breaking putt and falling about six feet foul of the pin.
The short game may well be a defining factor of this evening’s rounds.
Morikawa the next to set out
17:59 , Arthur FerridgeTwo-time major champion Colin Morikawa is set to tee off in a few moments.
He finished third at last year’s Masters, seven strokes shy of the untouchable Scheffler, but both men have been unable to replicate their form this year.
Morikawa sits at just -3 going into Sunday, with Scheffler not particularly far up the road at -5.
Box office Fleetwood
17:50 , Arthur FerridgeTommy Fleetwood is yet to par a hole through five, recording three birdies and two bogeys.
He is even overall.
A frustrating start for Niemann
17:32 , Arthur FerridgeThe Chilean flew off the mark yesterday, -2 after four holes, and could have started his final round with another birdie.
His long-range birdie putt, though, misses by not more than a centimetre.
The state of the greens
17:23If today’s early rounds have taught us anything, the putting greens look faster than they have done for the rest of the weekend.
The contenders already making their way around the course have struggled with their short game, as Brian Campbell is shown on broadcast overshooting a birdie putt on hole 13, as does Tom Kim.
The condition of the greens will be something to keep an eye on over the course of the evening.
A reminder of the day's tee times
17:12 , Arthur FerridgeA good portion of the field have started their rounds already, though today will be something of an exercise in patience for golf fans.
As ever, the ranking leaders will be the last to tee off today, meaning we are still a few hours from seeing any title hopefuls start their rounds.
Here are the key tee times to know:
6.50pm BST: Justin Rose (Eng), Zach Johnson (US)
7pm: Scottie Scheffler (US), Shane Lowry (Ire)
7.10pm: Ludvig Aberg (Swe), Jason Day (Aus)
7.20pm: Corey Conners (Can), Patrick Reed (US)
7.30pm: Rory McIlroy (NI), Bryson DeChambeau (US)
You can see the UK tee times in full here.
Textbook from Fleetwood
17:06 , Arthur FerridgeTommy Fleetwood is doing his best Rory McIlroy impression, hitting birdie on the first two holes of his final round to drop his overall score to -1.
It is some of the most straightforward golf you’ll see - with the pressure off, he looks set to enjoy his day in the sun at Augusta.
Aaron Rai embarks on his final round
16:58 , Arthur FerridgeTo make your Masters debut at 30 years of age is far from easy, but Aaron Rai has made a great account of himself this weekend.
He was -2 after day one and even after day two, before a dramatic round three saw him par just half of the holes on the course, contrasting five bogeys with four straight birdies between holes 13 and 16.
So, his golf is nothing if not entertaining. You should look forward to seeing him at future editions of the Masters.
DeChambeau's approach
16:45 , Arthur FerridgeToday is just as big an opportunity for DeChambeau as it is for McIlroy, and overcoming that two-shot deficit will be no mean feat.
His approach to the round will be a straightforward one.
Yesterday, he said: “Just one shot at a time – get into every shot and execute to the best of your ability. That’s all you can focus on."
Checking in on Willett
16:35 , Arthur FerridgeThe best action of the day is still a while away, but Sheffield-born former Masters Champion Danny Willett is already making his way around the links in one of the early rounds.
He is -1 through four holes, a birdie on hole two the only deviation from his run of par finishes.
Elsewhere, Tommy Fleetwood got underway five minutes ago and is still on hole one, while Matt Fitzpatrick is also on par.
McIlroy's assessment of the 2024 US Open capitulation
16:25 , Arthur FerridgeMcIlroy and DeChambeau were not in the same party as the latter came back to win last year’s US Open at Pinehurst, though McIlroy was still all too aware of where his rival was thanks to the course layout, which regularly doubles back on itself.
Here is his assessment of that round, where he recorded three bogeys in the final four holes: “Those last few holes, the way that golf course flows, you are very aware of what is happening behind you. It is hard enough having to concentrate on yourself, but whenever your focus is taken away to look at what your competitor does, it makes it even more difficult. It was a combination of everything that went into me playing those last four holes in three over par.”
That was distraction enough, but how will he cope playing alongside DeChambeau today?
McIlroy backs himself ahead of the final round
16:15Rory McIlroy met the press after his Saturday round, saying he is keen to build on his momentum from the weekend after having a laid-back Saturday night.
He said: "I think I am a sort of momentum player. There is a balance, though. You know, you have to try to ride that momentum as much as you can but then also temper it with a little bit of rationale and logic.
"I've got a lot of experience. I came in here talking about being the most complete version of myself as a golfer, and you know, I just have to keep reminding myself of that and remind myself that no matter what situation or scenario I find myself in tomorrow, I'll be able to handle it"
Willett quick out of the gates
16:05 , Arthur FerridgeThe first Brit to take on the course today is Danny Willett, and he starts well with a birdie on hole two, taking him to +2 overall.
His countryman Justin Rose started Saturday as a title favourite but is now something of an outsider after finishing at +3. He is seven strokes behind leader McIlroy now, and will tee off at 6:50pm BST this evening, playing with Zach Johnson.
It all comes down to this
15:52 , Arthur FerridgeWelcome to Sunday at the Masters, one of the sweetest days on the sporting calendar.
Forecast is for a hot, sunny day flush with narrative as Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau top the charts heading into the final round. They went head-to-head for the US Open Championship last year, with McIlroy bogeying three of the final four holes to squander his lead.
Today, therefore, will be an emotional rematch as McIlroy looks to complete a career grand slam and win a first major since 2014.
The pair tee off at 7:30pm BST, with Corey Conners, Patrick Reed, Ludvig Aberg, and Jason Day all heading out ahead.
Selected Sunday tee times in UK
11:20 , Alex YoungHere’s when the leading contenders will tee off.
6.50pm: Justin Rose (Eng), Zach Johnson (US)
7pm: Scottie Scheffler (US), Shane Lowry (Ire)
7.10pm: Ludvig Aberg (Swe), Jason Day (Aus)
7.20pm: Corey Conners (Can), Patrick Reed (US)
7.30pm: Rory McIlroy (NI), Bryson DeChambeau (US)
You can see the UK tee times in full here.
Thanks for following along!
Sunday 13 April 2025 00:26That will do it for The Standard’s coverage of Saturday at the Masters.
Catch up with all the action here and come back tomorrow for another blog covering the final showdown between Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy.
See you there!
Rose and DeChambeau round out the day
Sunday 13 April 2025 00:00 , Arthur FerridgeThat will do it for Saturday!
Justin Rose will want to forget that round about as soon as possible as he holes out on the 18th with a score of +3 on the day, -5 overall. He was top at the start of the day, but that must feel like a distant memory for the Briton.
DeChambeau, though, will be McIlroy’s closest challenger on Sunday, sitting just two strokes behind the Irishman after claiming a birdie with his final stroke of the day.
Mcilroy closes out the round
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:52 , Arthur FerridgeAnd he will take a commanding lead into Sunday. Another par on the 18th takes his overall total to -12 going into the final day of the tournament, and that career grand slam is now closer than ever.
Alongside him, Conners’ score is not too far off, ending his run in third place at -8.
It is all to play for tomorrow!
More misfortune for Rose
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:44 , Arthur FerridgeJustin Rose’s dismal day takes another knock as he rims out on the 16th green, turning a near-certain par into a disappointing bogey.
Just not his day.
Corey Conners, the people's champion?
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:31 , Arthur FerridgeWhere did Corey Conners come from?
Before this weekend, he had just two PGA Tour wins to his name and had never finished higher than T6 at a major championship, that result coming at the 2022 Masters, yet he is now on the verge of entering the final day of this year’s contest in third place.
He is currently just four strokes behind McIlroy and one behind DeChambeau. He is well ahead of Scottie Scheffler, who finishes his Saturday round even for an overall score of -5.
Regardless of what happens tomorrow, Conners has proved he can keep pace with the best in the game.
Rose and DeChambeau put on a show on 16
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:22 , Arthur FerridgeTwo of the best tee shots you’ll see on hole 16 at Augusta.
DeChambeau launches his drive and drops it not more than two yards from the pin.
Rose steps up and matches him exactly.
A classy pair of efforts from two of the best in the game.
Rose birdies 14
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:15It has not been an easy day for Justin Rose, but he will draw on all the experience of his near-30-year career as he looks to close the gap to McIlroy.
Another birdie on 14 will help with that, and he has four holes remaining to chip away further at the lead.
Day closes out a strong round
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:09Australia’s Jason Day start Sunday at -5, a healthy platform, but he will still require a small miracle to catch the leaders. He was -1 on the day.
Shane Lowry is another pushing towards a top slot for Sunday’s tee times. He is currently -7 overall, equal with Rose and DeChambeau.
There will be little to separate the field tomorrow evening, though McIlroy will carry a strong lead over.
McIlroy bags an eagle!
Saturday 12 April 2025 23:02 , Arthur FerridgeThat is exactly what he needed! McIlroy pulls off a wonderful eagle put on hole 15 to extend his lead to four strokes - you couldn’t really ask for a better cushion going into Sunday.
He is now -6 on the day, -12 overall, and still totally stone-faced. Not an ounce of emotion - he knows the job isn’t finished.
McIlroy approaches the end of his round
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:51Just the four holes to go now for McIlroy, and he maintains a two-stroke lead to Conners. He will want to open that gap as wide as he can before the end of the day, though, to give himself the best possible chance of surviving Sunday.
Likewise, time is running out for Justin Rose to recover. A win for the 44-year-old would be as romantic a story as a win for McIlroy, but Rose has been off the pace today and will need to take some action if he is to stay in contention for tomorrow.
Reed holes out at -6
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:40 , Arthur FerridgeA strong showing from Patrick Reed today, who finished -2 on the day and -6 overall, just four strokes behind the leader McIlroy.
The 2018 Masters Champion will be an outside contender tomorrow afternoon.
The driving force behind Rory's success
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:33 , Arthur FerridgeMcIlroy’s good fortune this weekend is due in no small part to his driving game.
Today he recorded the longest drive on hole four of the weekend, hitting 371yds.
Patrick Cantlay, in second place, only managed 315yds, a difference of 56yds.
The Irishman has such a well-rounded game, but the driving really sets him apart.
McIlroy's fast start has faded
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:26 , Arthur FerridgeMcIlroy has slowed up somewhat since scoring three on each of the first six holes.
He has had two bogeys since, and his tee shot on 13 has landed with a nasty lie, right on the lip of the bunker behind the green.
Let’s see how he plays out of this. A bogey would see him drop on level with DeChambeau and Conners.
Another thorn for Rose
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:18 , Arthur FerridgeA bogey on hole 11 sees Rose fall slightly further behind McIlroy.
Of course, he is still very much poised to come back in Sunday’s rounds, but he will hope to pull slightly closer to his rival before heading home for the evening.
"It's a cruel game"
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:11 , Arthur FerridgeThe cards just aren’t falling for Rose, who nails a gorgeous approach shot onto the eleventh green but has to watch in agony as it dribbles off the side of the green into a deep valley.
Sometimes it just isn’t your day, but that is the nature of golf.
Rose is celebrating every little victory
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:06And that birdie putt on the eighth clearly meant a whole lot to the Briton, who is chasing a first major since winning the US Open in 2013.
A birdie putt goes missing
Saturday 12 April 2025 22:01 , Arthur FerridgeWhat has happened to Justin Rose?
To be fair to him, he is not having a bad round by any stretch of the imagination, but an unneeded two-putt sees him miss another birdie shot which, had he sunk it, would have moved him into second and within one stroke of McIlroy.
Case in point...
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:48 , Arthur FerridgeIt's a bogey for McIlroy on hole ten, meaning his lead is now just one stroke.
Nervous times for the Irishman, who now has both DeChambeau and Conners breathing down his neck.
McIlroy could do with another birdie
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:45 , Arthur FerridgeWith Bryson DeChambeau just two shots behind, Rory could do with opening up a little more breathing room to second place.
DeChambeau is in stride now, one under par so far today as he finishes hole nine.
DeChambeau misses a big opportunity
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:33 , Arthur FerridgeThe American has a shot at an eagle putt on seven but rather flubs his attempt, completely misreading the lie as his ball bends well away from the hole. Had he made it, he would have been just one stroke behind the leader, McIlroy.
Elsewhere, a first birdie of the day for Justin Rose, who looks like he could do with the confidence boost.
Jason Day on a comeback as Rose continues to fade
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:30 , Arthur FerridgeEither that or the other leaders have fallen back off, but the Australian is back up into T3 as he is -2 through 11 holes.
Justin Rose is +2 on the day as he seems to be struggling with the weight of the occasion. He has slipped to T3.
Rory McIlroy's round is already one for the history books
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:25 , Arthur FerridgeAnd he hasn’t even made it onto the back nine yet!
Rory McIlroy is the first player in Masters history to start his round with six consecutive threes. #themasters
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 12, 2025
Bogey for McIlroy
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:24 , Arthur FerridgeThat can’t be right. Not during this round.
Rory McIlroy takes a bogey on hole seven, dropping his overall score down to -10.
Viktor of the jungle
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:18 , Arthur FerridgeViktor Hovland hits a shot so wayward it has ended up behind the tree line.
The scenes are almost comical as the camera tightens up on a row of trees. Hovland is not visible, but his swing and subsequent frustration are absolutely audible, as is the sound of a tree losing some of its bark.
It takes him two attempts to hack his way out of the woods.
Just when Rose seemed to be finding his groove
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:16This has not been anywhere near the performance Rose will have wanted - nothing seems to be going his way at the minute.
He finds the bunker on hole six and looks to have chipped onto the green sweetly, but his shot rolls just inches further than it needed to, reaching the slope and running a good twenty feet away down to the lower tier.
Another brutal one for the Briton, who needs to get back to form quickly if he is to stay in the title conversation going into Sunday.
"You have never seen anything like this before"
Saturday 12 April 2025 21:03 , Arthur FerridgeYou cannot take your eyes off this McIlroy round for a second. Each shot is better than the last!
He finishes hole seven on par after hitting an audacious blind lay-up, setting up the most basic of putts.
Each shot he hits today carries a certain air of inevitability - you just know he’s going to do something special.
Did someone say mistake from McIlroy?
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:57 , Arthur FerridgeCan’t have been me...
McIlroy opts for a wedge from deep in the rough and drops it right next to the green, which he could barely see through the trees from that lie.
He is on another level today.
Meanwhile, Justin Rose is +1 on the day and tumbling down the order. He looks miserable as he treks down the sixth fairway after mishitting another tee shot.
A mistake from McIlroy
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:49 , Arthur FerridgeDo not rub your eyes - he really is human!
McIlroy’s hole seven drive goes well off to the right, deep into the trees.
Can he still pull a three out of the rough? You wouldn’t put it past him the way he’s started today.
He does it again!
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:45 , Arthur FerridgeRory McIlroy is on another level today - this is absolutely unbelievable.
He sinks a seven-foot putt for his sixth consecutive three. Still no celebration - he looks to be entirely in a flow state.
How long can this go on?
Not another one?
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:32 , Arthur FerridgeYou’re joking!
Rory McIlroy, calm it down mate. It is another birdie!
That takes him to -11 overall, and there is not an ounce of emotion on the man’s face - just steely determination.
Game face
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:27 , Arthur FerridgeNot so much as a smile from Rory McIlroy after he chipped in for an eagle on hole two. Strictly business from the Irishman.
Heavyhanded from Scheffler
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:23 , Arthur FerridgeHole six is an unforgiving one, and Scheffler has overcooked his tee shot.
He goes wide right of the pin and well beyond the back of the green. He’ll be lucky to rescue that and stay on par.
A fourth three for McIlroy
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:17 , Arthur FerridgeHoles one through four are in the books for McIlroy, and he scores 3 on each. Two birdies, one par, one eagle.
That takes him to -4 on the day and -10 overall. A statement of intent, to be sure.
Rose wilts through two
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:10 , Arthur FerridgeThere have been errors on both holes for Rose so far. A wayward drive on the first, a mishit birdie putt on the second.
He looks visibly frustrated already - a player of his experience will know that better will be expected if he is to reclaim his lead ahead of Sunday.
McIlroy extends his lead
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:08 , Arthur FerridgeAnother birdie for McIlroy? Oh, go on then.
That’s three birdies in three for the Irishman, who clearly means business.
Little to no celebration, though. He knows there is still a lot of golf left to play this afternoon.
Conners fumbles
Saturday 12 April 2025 20:04Among the flurry of early-round birdies was Corey Conners, who took a point off his overall score on hole two.
But it was an agonising approach on hole three, which sat up on the green and rolled cruelly back onto the fairway.
McIlroy’s fantastic short game persists as he lays up smartly, adding insult to injury for Conners as the Irishman’s ball comes to rest a couple feet from the pin.
DeChambeau from distance!
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:53 , Arthur FerridgeAll the boys are here to play... Bryson DeChambeau holes out from a different postcode on hole 2 to find a birdie.
It is a downhill breaking putt, but he nails it from about 25 yards and he draws level with Rose, who is having a tougher time on the first hole.
Up the road, McIlroy chips in from the rough on hole two for a birdie! It has been an all-action start here as the lead has changed twice in the last minute.
McIlroy drives pedal-to-the-metal
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:48 , Arthur FerridgeThe Irishman has clearly been in the gym since he was here last - he has absolutely murdered his first two drives.
His first shot of the round carried 331 yards, and the second looked just as sweet if not sweeter.
Back on hole one, Justin Rose escapes the bunker on the first attempt and finds the green, but looks to be a good 20yds from the pin.
Championship leaders tee off
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:42 , Arthur FerridgeThe final party of the day are now off, as Justin Rose and Bryson DeChambeau tee off.
And it is not an ideal start for Rose, who goes straight into the sand with his opening shot. The only way is up from there!
Up the road, Rory McIlroy has already birdied hole one.
Be prepared to keep an eye on your leaderboards this evening - they should be shuffling pretty regularly.
Inch perfect from Scheffler
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:35 , Arthur FerridgeScottie Scheffler is here to play.
He faces a tricky approach on hole two, having to hit beyond a bunker without going over the back of the green, but he nails the distance, his ball landing mere inches from the pin.
That is the standard set.
Rory McIlroy begins his round
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:31 , Arthur FerridgeThis is the moment we have all been waiting for... Rory McIlroy embarks on round three of his Masters campaign alongside Corey Conners.
He draws huge cheers from the crowd as he makes his way to the tee box, and his first drive sails straight down the middle.
A big four hours to go for the Irishman.
Away goes Lowry
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:23Another title hopeful enters the fray as Shane Lowry tees off on the first hole.
Ahead of him, Scottie Scheffler has started with a tidy par on hole one despite missing a birdie putt, as Tyrell Hatton goes one over with a very narrow miss on the green.
A solid showing from Spieth
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:10 , Arthur FerridgeThe first finishers are back at the clubhouse, and Jordan Spieth holes out on the eighteenth with a score of -3, taking him to T23 overall for the time being.
It is not the barnstorming showing he would have wanted to crack into a challenger position, but a good day out nonetheless. It is a round to be proud of for the American.
Nearly time for the heavy hitters
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:07 , Arthur FerridgeJust a quarter of an hour to go until one of the most hotly anticipated rounds of golf in recent memory, as Rory McIlroy and Corey Conners get set to tee off.
There is a lot riding on this for the Northern Irishman. It may well come down to whether he can keep his focus and keeps his eyes off those pesky, pretty scoreboards he said he finds so distracting.
With leader Justin Rose and second-placed Bryson DeChambeau the party behind and Scottie Scheffler just ahead, it will take some going to keep the blinkers on.
Britons struggle
Saturday 12 April 2025 19:04 , Arthur FerridgeIt has not been an easy day for Aaron Rai, who is now +3 on the day after recording a bogey on hole ten, taking him to T48.
Danny Willett, the 2016 Masters champion, is also struggling somewhat, now +1 after hitting four bogeys and three birdies. He is just two holes from the finish now.
Harman plays off the floor
Saturday 12 April 2025 18:57 , Arthur FerridgeBrian Harman is in a spot of bother as he finds the rough under a tree on hole five.
But he improvises, adapts, overcomes. The American gets on his knees and plays out better than a lot of people could standing up, finding the fairway with a simple recovery shot.
He sits T13 and is -1 through four today.
In Bryson DeChambeau's eyes, this is a simple game
Saturday 12 April 2025 18:51 , Arthur FerridgeBryson DeChambeau is in the running for the championship. What wisdom does he have to share ahead of a crunch round?
“If I can just keep it in the fairway, two-putt when I can, make double birdies when I can, it'll be a good round.”
Simple as, really. Why haven’t I ever thought of that?
A day of ups and downs for Rahm
Saturday 12 April 2025 18:42 , Arthur FerridgeJon Rahm has been all over the place today. He has just hit a gorgeous approach shot from the 15th fairway, getting within inches of the pin from at least 60 yards.
Though he has been let down on the day by a pair of bogeys, which will cancel out his four birdies as he now sits at -3 through 14 holes.
Rory McIlroy arrives at Augusta
Saturday 12 April 2025 18:33 , Arthur FerridgeThe title challenger and arguable fan favourite Rory McIlroy is on location at the Augusta National Golf Club. He has spoken to Sky Sports about his strategy for the day - here is what he had to say:
“I just need to go out there, take care of what I’m doing, try not to watch the leaderboards even though they are big, pretty, and unavoidable. I’m not trying to force the issue, just need to let the score come to me.”
Two title contenders slip down the rankings
Saturday 12 April 2025 18:11Among those tipped to be title contenders coming into this weekend were Xander Schaufelle and Tommy Fleetwood, who are set to tee off together in just a few moments.
Schaufelle in particular is a surprise at T17 after he was let down by a tough first round, finishing +1 before answering back yesterday with a -2.
He will be drinking in the last chance saloon today, though, with a huge round required if he is to reignite any smoldering hope of being fitted for a green blazer this weekend.
Spieth is getting frustrated
Saturday 12 April 2025 18:01 , Arthur FerridgeA wayward approach shot from Spieth on 14 has the Texan visibly frustrated as he drops to his knees and seems to be resisting the urge to smack his club into the fairway.
He birdied hole 13 and remains three under on the day, but that miss has clearly struck a nerve. He will chip from the edge of the fairway behind the green.
Re: Nicolas Echavarria and par-three contest hoodoo
Saturday 12 April 2025 17:58Nicolas Echavarria seems set on putting the par three contest curse to bed - he has started his Saturday nicely.
His approach shot on hole one lands behind the green, but a 40-yard putt gets him within a club length of the pin. A classy recovery.
Bubba Watson tees off
Saturday 12 April 2025 17:52 , Arthur FerridgeHere comes Bubba!
The two-time Masters champion (2012, 2014) has not quite replicated his title-winning form this campaign, finishing Friday’s proceedings at -1 overall.
Let’s see how he gets on today, with leaders Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose due to tee off in about an hour and 40 minutes.
What does Nicolas Echavarria have to look forward to this weekend?
Saturday 12 April 2025 17:45 , Arthur FerridgeThe Colombian has just teed off his third round, and could be a sleeper pick to make a late challenge at the title on Sunday having won last week’s par 3 contest.
That may well be a doomed honour, though, as no par 3 contest winner has ever gone on to win the same tournament, never doing better than a runner-up finish.
Can he break the chain?
Justin Rose: I have a good game plan
Saturday 12 April 2025 17:40 , Arthur FerridgeCurrent pack leader Justin Rose has spoken to Sky Sports about his mindset and strategy ahead of his Saturday round, which starts at 7:40pm BST. Here’s what he had to say:
“Those are the attributes you need at this course. You need patience at the outset, but you need to pick and choose your moments to be aggressive. There are birdies to be had. I had a great game plan for the first couple days, then you just need to make those committed swings as in any game of golf.”
He starts the day with a one-stroke lead to second-placed Bryson DeChambeau, whom he will play alongside this evening.
Updates from around the course
Saturday 12 April 2025 17:32 , Arthur FerridgeTom Kim was the first man out today, playing solo, and the South Korean is back even after taking a birdie on hole 12.
Elsewhere, England’s Aaron Rai is +1 after four holes, and Danny Willett is -2 through the front nine.
Spieth took birdies on holes eight and nine to join Willett at -2 on the day, and Jon Rahm sits -3 despite a hole five bogey.
A sweet shot from Max Homa
Saturday 12 April 2025 17:22 , Arthur FerridgeThat is pristine from Max Homa, definitely one for the highlight reel!
Playing out of one of the deepest bunkers on the course, Homa gets within about six feet of the hole-one pin as he plays out. Cracking from the American.
Johnson hits the pin
Saturday 12 April 2025 17:08 , Arthur FerridgeGutting one for Zach Johnson on hole seven as he chips out of the green-side bunker and hits the pin, coming agonizingly close to a chip-in.
He still pars the hole, though, so all is not lost. The American is even through seven.
A first birdie of the day for Spieth
Saturday 12 April 2025 16:58 , Arthur FerridgeJordan Spieth finally breaks from tradition and circles a birdie on his scorecard, having hit par on holes one through seven.
He started well on hole eight, though, with a 292yd drive, which he followed up with a long-iron shot into the trees. A healthy amount of backspin on the subsequent chip saw him within touching distance of the pin, and he converted the putt without a second thought.
Rai gets into the mix
Saturday 12 April 2025 16:53Another Englishman has entered the course, this time it is Aaron Rai, playing alongside American Justin Thomas.
Both contenders are even overall and remain on par through hole one.
Rahm slips up
Saturday 12 April 2025 16:44 , Arthur FerridgeJohn Rahm records his first bogey of the afternoon on hole five, which is disappointing to see after he started with three consecutive birdies.
He was let down by a wayward drive, which landed among the spectators to the right of the fairway. Damage limitation efforts looked promising as he hit the back of the green with his second shot, but he was frustrated as he hit a three-shot putt, missing his second attempt from about 10 feet.
Spieth stays even as Niemann stumbles
Saturday 12 April 2025 16:31Spieth and Niemann are fast approaching the halfway stage of their round, and Spieth is yet to break from his series of pars. He remains even through seven holes.
Niemann, though, has cancelled out the back-to-back birdies he managed on holes three and four with a bogey on seven, where he drove into the trees and took two strokes to get back into the fairway.
Willett in the sand on hole four
Saturday 12 April 2025 16:21 , Arthur FerridgeBritain’s Danny Willett is keeping things straightforward thus far in his round as he is even through four.
He found the bunker with his tee shot on hole four but recovered sweetly, chipping out within inches of the pin to set up a simple par putt.
Another birdie for Rahm
Saturday 12 April 2025 16:14Could we be looking at an outside title contender here?
Rahm hits another birdie to go three-for-three on the day. If he can keep up this pace, he should be in the conversation to challenge for the title tomorrow, but there is plenty of golf still to be played before that conversation can be had.
Spieth misses a birdie shot
Saturday 12 April 2025 16:05Spieth finds the green in two on the par-4 fifth hole. He faces a long birdie putt, though, and can’t quite get it down, missing wide right by a matter of inches.
Elsewhere, Spaniard Jon Rahm is -2 on the day after claiming a birdie on each of his first two holes, taking the 2023 Champion to an even overall score.
Another Briton enters the fray
Saturday 12 April 2025 15:57 , Arthur FerridgeDanny Willett begins his third round of the weekend.
The Sheffield native is +2 overall and sits T42. He remains on par through holes one and two.
Another birdie for Niemann
Saturday 12 April 2025 15:51Niemann trims another point off his overall score as he birdies hole four.
The Chilean contender started the day T42 and is now down to T27.
Niemann shows Spieth the way
Saturday 12 April 2025 15:41 , Arthur FerridgeThe first highlight of the day is in, and it comes courtesy of Chile’s Joaquín Niemann.
He chips in from about 30 yards to birdie hole three, while his partner Spieth stays on par.
It is a strong recovery from the 26-year-old, who teed off well but flubbed his second shot. He attempted to chip up onto the green but under-hit his shot, the ball ending up only a couple of yards closer to the pin before he deftly knocked it in with stroke three.
A balmy day in Augusta
Saturday 12 April 2025 15:40 , Arthur FerridgeWeather often tends to take centre stage at the Masters thanks to the humid, stormy Georgia climate, but there should be no such issues today.
There is only a very slight chance of rain this afternoon, with the August skies looking sunny and clear. The temperature currently sits at 16°C.
Spieth even through two
Saturday 12 April 2025 15:34Jordan Spieth will need a historic round if he wants even to crack the top 10 today, and early holes have not given a particularly promising showing as he hits par on each of the first two holes. Niemann matches him.
Jaeger and Greyserman are the duo behind, and both hit par on hole one.
When to tune in for the title contenders
Saturday 12 April 2025 15:18If you want to watch some high-octane title-deciding golf today, you will need a touch of patience.
Rory McIlroy does not tee off until 7:30pm BST, playing alongside Canada’s Corey Conners as he chases a first ever green blazer.
The tournament leader, London’s own Justin Rose, heads out alongside Bryson DeChambeau 10 minutes later in the last group of the day.
Spieth gets underway but needs a miracle
Saturday 12 April 2025 15:12 , Arthur FerridgeJordan Spieth has teed off his Saturday round, playing today with Joaquin Niemann.
Spieth won at Augusta back in 2015 at just 22 years old, prompting many to consider him one of golf’s hottest talents. He has won just two majors since, though, most recently in 2017.
Sitting tied for 40th at two over, let’s see how he gets on today.
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