Koepka takes two-shot lead into Masters finale as Tiger withdraws

By Rahul Banerji

LIV Golf League star Brooke Koepka took a two-shot lead into a delayed final 18 holes of the 87^th playing of the Masters at Augusta National on Sunday.

After rain had bettered the area on Moving Day and forced two delays – the second being the final one with much of the field yet to even complete 36 holes – Koepka had the clubhouse lead on 13-under after 42 completed holes.

Spain’s Jon Rahm, who started Sunday four behind had closed to within two shots of the leader at the end of round three on Sunday, Koepka on 11-under 205 with Rahm on nine under 207.

Both had matching one-over 73s going into the final 18 holes.

Tiger’s pullout

The big news of the day though was the withdrawal of five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods, who had limped through the closing holes of the second round on a rainy Saturday morning.

The remaining 52 players left in the field will now go out in pairs, but with split tees in operation between tees one and ten to help complete the $18 million opening major of the year.

After finishing at the bottom of the leaderboard in the completed second round that gave him a share of history in terms of 23 consecutive cuts made to match Gary Player and Fred Couples, Tiger’s body had had enough.

At six over par, last in the field and visibly struggling in the cold and the rain, the 15-time major winner could go no further with a right leg that was nearly amputated causing visible distress.

Disappointed

“I am disappointed to have to WD this morning due to reaggravating my plantar fasciitis. Thank you to the fans and to @TheMasters who have shown me so much love and support. Good luck to the players today!” Tiger tweeted on his official handle on Sunday.

“It’s been a tough, tough road,” Tiger was quoted as saying on the PGA Tour website on Sunday.

“It’s the appreciation of being able to play this game.

“And then to be able to come here and play at Augusta National, it’s such a special place and it means so much to me in my heart to be able to come here and play this golf course and just appreciate the memories that I’ve had here, whether it’s in competition or the practice rounds or the stories.”

Two-time Hero World Challenge winner Hovland and Patrick Cantlay of the US were the big gainers early on Saturday. While the former sits sole third on the leaderboard one shot behind Rahm on eight-under 208, Cantlay had the best third round of four-under 68.

He holds fourth place on six under 210, five shots behind Koepka and three short of Rahm. All bets look to be off ahead of the closing 18 holes of the year’s first major, which has upped the winner’s cheque to $3.2 million.

Healthy lead

Earlier, when the weather intervened a second time on Saturday, it sent the field back into the clubhouse with Koepka on 13-under after 42 completed holes and Rahm his closest pursuer on nine under par.

US Amateur champion Sam Bennet was third on six under, with Americans Cantlay and Collin Morikawa, Matthew Fitzpatrick of England and Hovland sharing fourth place on five under totals.

Koepka, Rahm and Bennet were among 39 players who came back early on Saturday to complete their interrupted second rounds of Friday before setting off on the rain-curtailed third round on what is traditionally Moving Day.

“You can’t really say it was too late (to suspend play) because I don’t blame them for wanting us to play as much as possible,” Rahm was quoted as saying later.

“I’m not too concerned about playing 29 holes. It’s part of the deal,” Koepka said on Sunday’s projected schedule.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll be up for it considering it is the Masters. So I don’t think anybody should have a problem with that.”

Also read: Rahm, Hovland and Koepka share Masters day one lead