Brooks Koepka leads the best way at The Masters following the suspension of play on Saturday
We check out a few of the most important speaking factors as The Masters heads right into a packed closing day, with the third spherical nonetheless to be accomplished following heavy rain which compelled Saturday’s play to be suspended…
Koepka vs Rahm: A two-horse race?
Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm have been the category acts of the sector up to now at Augusta Nationwide. Certainly, their performances within the first two rounds ensured it was the primary time two gamers had been at 10 below par or higher by means of 36 holes.
It’s 32-year-old Koepka who holds the benefit although, main world No 3 Rahm by 4 photographs on 13 below as much as the purpose the place play was suspended on Saturday afternoon.
They may resume on Sunday on the seventh inexperienced with Koepka dealing with a putt to avoid wasting par and Rahm having a possibility to birdie, exhibiting how a lot issues might change with one other 11 holes of the third spherical for the leaders to play.
As if a showdown between two golfers on the high of their recreation was not sufficient, there may be the added drama of a possible showdown between LIV Golf defector Brooks and PGA Tour star Rahm for the fitting to drag on the fabled Inexperienced Jacket for the primary time.
Smash GC captain Koepka triumphed in the newest LIV occasion in Orlando forward of The Masters and if he have been to triumph it will hand a major increase to the breakaway tour.
Koepka to seal his fifth main?
From a private viewpoint, victory within the Masters would take Koepka three-quarters of the best way to finishing the Grand Slam of golf’s 4 majors.
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Highlights from the third spherical of the 2023 Masters at Augusta Nationwide
The American already has two PGA Championships and two US Opens to his identify, and a triumph on Sunday would go away simply The Open Championship remaining to finish the set forward of this July’s event at Royal Liverpool.
It might put him amongst an elite group too, with solely six different male gamers within the fashionable period having received 5 majors earlier than turning 33: Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson, Gary Participant and Arnold Palmer.
His statistics up to now on this event are pointing in direction of success for Koepka too. He leads the best way in Photographs Gained Strategy (+2.76) and is second for Photographs Gained Placing (+1.76), whereas his six birdie or higher scores on par-fives is tied for second as effectively.
Spanish success for Rahm?
Rahm spoke forward of the event how conscious he’s of the historical past of his fellow Spaniards at The Masters, and he would be part of compatriots Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia in donning the Inexperienced Jacket if he have been to emerge victorious.
Win chance leaders coming into Sunday
| Participant | Win chance % |
|---|---|
| Brooks Koepka | 55.3 |
| Jon Rahm | 34.7 |
| Collin Morikawa | 2.2 |
| Viktor Hovland | 2.0 |
It is not going to be misplaced on him both that April 9 marks the late Ballesteros’ birthday and is similar date that Garcia clinched the 2017 Masters title.
The 28-year-old, who has one earlier main below his belt within the type of the 2021 US Open, has but to raised his fourth place at Augusta Nationwide in 2018, though 4 of his six appearances at The Masters have resulted in top-10 finishes.
He’s aiming to turn into the sixth participant to win the Masters and US Open earlier than the age of 29, and solely the third from outdoors the USA to win each, however might want to arrest a slide which noticed him at one over par for his spherical and shedding 1.25 strokes placing to the sector earlier than play was suspended.
Chasing pack charging?
Ought to Koepka and Rahm falter, there’s a group of gamers, together with a number of main winners, behind them ready to pounce.
Matt Fitzpatrick is among the many group chasing the leaders at The Masters
Final yr’s shock US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick, and former PGA Championship and Open winner Collin Morikawa are each lurking on 5 below par, tied for fourth with Norway’s Viktor Hovland – a participant extensively tipped as a future main winner.
Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson – again at Augusta Nationwide after lacking final yr’s event – and 2013 US Open winner Justin Rose are an additional shot again tied for seventh in a gaggle which incorporates one other anticipated future main winner in Patrick Cantlay.
Nonetheless main the chasing pack, although, in third at six below is Sam Bennett, whose complete of 136 throughout the primary two rounds was the bottom 36-hole rating by an newbie at The Masters since Ken Venturi in 1956. It’s value noting, nonetheless, that no newbie participant has received The Masters.
What to make of Tiger?
When he made the reduce for the twenty third time at The Masters, Tiger Woods equalled a mark held by Fred {Couples} and Gary Participant.
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Tiger Woods props up The Masters leaderboard after discovering the water twice on the rain-soaked course at Augusta
However whereas {Couples} nonetheless gave the impression to be having fun with himself regardless of at present being tied for forty ninth on 4 over par, five-time champion Woods gave the impression to be struggling each bodily and mentally on a day which noticed him drop to final place and 9 below par when play was suspended.
After beginning the third spherical with a bogey, Woods made three consecutive pars, however then it was one other bogey adopted by back-to-back double-bogeys which left him three photographs behind his nearest competitor, Charl Schwartzel.
The query now stays as as to if Woods will proceed along with his spherical and full the event or resolve to withdraw to avoid wasting his physique from additional punishment.
Will the climate be an element?
Play will resume at 8.30am native time (1.30pm BST), depending on the situation of the course after the in a single day rain, with simply over 11 holes – or three and a bit hours – left of the third spherical nonetheless to finish.
Cloudy and breezy circumstances are anticipated on Sunday, with no additional rain or storm disruption, though any delay to the resumption would go away event officers in a race towards time to get 72 holes accomplished earlier than dusk on Sunday.
A press release from Augusta Nationwide stated the reside broadcast – the worldwide broadcast window – will stay as initially scheduled from 2pm-7pm native time (7pm-Midnight BST), with the event set to be completed with out the necessity of taking the opening main of the yr right into a fifth day.
Who will win The Masters? Watch the conclusion of the third spherical reside on Sunday from 1.30pm on Sky Sports activities Golf, forward of the ultimate spherical later that day. A bunch of bonus feeds shall be obtainable all through the day through the crimson button on Sky Sports activities Golf!
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