Masters: Scheffler and Smith set for Sunday showdown

World no.1 Scottie Scheffler takes a three-shot lead into today’s final round after shooting a one-under-par 71 to move a nine-under total at a decidedly chilly Augusta on Saturday.

The 25-year-old American, who hadn’t won on the PGA Tour until reeling off three wins in his last five tournaments, now stands poised to win his first major championship, although he won’t have it all his own way, with Players Championship winner Cameron Smith breathing down his neck and playing alongside him in the final pairing on Sunday.

The in-form Australian will be bidding for his own major breakthrough after winning the unofficial fifth major at TPC Sawgrass last month. Smith fired a third round 68 to move into contention for Masters glory on six under.

Scheffler briefly looked to be walking away with the green jacket on Saturday after firing four birdies in his first eight holes, which took his lead to six and his score to -11, but bogeys at 12, 14, 15 and 18 ensured that at least a handful of players are still in contention on Sunday.

First round leader Sungjae Im from South Korea is on his own in third on -4, while 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry and 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel are still almost in touch on -2.

Only seven players are under par for the week, with Justin Thomas and Corey Conners the only other players in red figures on -1.

England’s somewhat forlorn hopes rest with 2016 champion Danny Willett and Tommy Fleetwood who are tied 8th, but nine shots back from the leader. Rory McIlroy is a shot further back in 9th on +1, alongside Collin Morikawa and 2019 Masters champion Dustin Johnson.

 

Groups and starting times for Sunday’s final round of the 86th Masters at Augusta National.

USA unless stated, all times BST

1510 Cameron Davis (Aus), Adam Scott (Aus)

1520 Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Billy Horschel

1530 Patrick Cantlay, Mackenzie Hughes (Can)

1540 Max Homa, Bubba Watson

1550 Tiger Woods, Jon Rahm (Esp)

1600 Russell Henley, Daniel Berger

1610 Harold Varner III, Robert MacIntyre (Sco)

1620 Sepp Straka (Aut), Tom Hoge

1630 Seamus Power (Ire), Kevin Na

1650 Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa), Joaquin Niemann (Chi)

1700 Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Kevin Kisner

1710 Tony Finau, Sergio Garcia (Esp)

1720 Lucas Glover, Patrick Reed

1730 JJ Spaun, Min Woo Lee (Aus)

1740 Harry Higgs, Lee Westwood (Eng)

1750 Si Woo Kim (Kor), Hudson Swafford

1800 Marc Leishman (Aus), Talor Gooch

1810 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Viktor Hovland (Nor)

1830 Webb Simpson, Will Zalatoris

1840 Dustin Johnson, Cameron Champ

1850 Rory McIlroy (NIrl), Collin Morikawa

1900 Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Jason Kokrak

1910 Corey Conners (Can), Danny Willett (Eng)

1920 Charl Schwartzel (Rsa), Justin Thomas

1930 Sungjae Im (Kor), Shane Lowry (Irl)

1940 Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Smith (Aus)