April 14 2011

12:34 AM

Featured group finishes strong

We’ve already mentioned Adam Scott’s 68, but he wasn’t the only one to play well in his group. Geoff Ogilvy trails Scott by only a shot, while Angel Cabrera shot a 71.

Combined, they were 8 under and made 15 total birdies -- five apiece -- and all of them are in the top 25 on the leaderboard.

“I think anything under par around here is good,” Ogilvy said. “If you can be under par four rounds in a row, you won't be far away.”

To replay their round with Shot Tracker, click here


7:05 PM

Featured group update: Slow start

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Last week, Angel Cabrera, Geoff Ogilvy and Adam Scott all finished in the top 10 at Augusta National. Now they’re trying to carry that momentum through San Antonio, where the three are all playing in the same group.

So far, it’s been a somewhat slow start for the trio with only Cabrera under par through the first five holes. Given how well he drove it last week, that shouldn’t be a shock. Cabrera has four pars and one birdie today -- the lone birdie coming on the par-3 third, where he hit it to just 4 1/2 feet.

Ogilvy, meanwhile, bogeyed the first hole but bounced back with a birdie on the par-4 fifth, where he rolled in a 13-footer. Scott, on the other hand, has had nothing but pars so far. Scott also continues to roll it well with that belly putter of his, having taken just eight putts so far.

To follow the featured group live with Shot Tracker click here.


4:30 PM

Kicking the Masters hangover

Masters hangover? Not for Jhonattan Vegas. The rookie missed the cut in his first trip to Augusta National -- he’s actually missed his last three cuts -- but that doesn’t seem to be affecting him so far at TPC San Antonio, where he’s 2 under through his first 12 holes and near the top of the leaderboard.

In all, there are five players in this week’s field who finished in the top 10 at the Masters -- defending champion Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy, Angel Cabrera, Bo Van Pelt and Ryan Palmer.

Scott, Ogilvy and Cabrera will play together through the first two rounds later this afternoon.

Speaking of Cabrera, he led the Masters in total driving. If he has another week like that at TPC San Antonio he should be in contention given the narrow fairways there.


April 10 2011

8:49 PM

What if there’s a playoff?

AUGUSTA, Ga. – A Masters that once had the makings of a runaway now has the look of a potential playoff.

Granted, the final group still has nine holes to play – the same ones where the Masters begins each Sunday. But there are six players now within two shots of the lead held by Rory McIlroy at 11 under.

If there is a playoff, it would start at No. 18 and continue, if need be, at No. 10. And it would be the 15th playoff in Masters history and the first since Angel Cabrera beat Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell in 2009.

Oh, by the way, Cabrera is paired with McIlroy and he trails by one. The Argentine is tied with Charl Schwartzel and K.J. Choi at 10 under. Tiger Woods, Luke Donald and Adam Scott at 9 under while Jason Day is another shot behind.

There have never been more than three players involved in a playoff at Augusta National. The first Masters playoff was a 36-hole affair while the next five went 18 holes before the format was switched to sudden death in 1976.


8:45 PM

A blast from the past

By Melanie Hauser, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent AUGUSTA, GA --When Tiger Woods eagled the eighth hole, you could feel the roar 100 yards away. An eruption. An unmistakeable outburst that  . . . well, used to be the norm around here. Back in the day, you could tell an Arnold Palmer roar from a Jack Nicklaus roar from a Greg Norman, Tom Watson or Ben Crenshaw roar. You could stand under the tree, listen and know -- before the score went up -- whether it was a birdie, an eagle or an ace. Sunday in 1986 was one of those days filled with them -- all starting with back-to-back eagles at the eighth hole by Tom Kite and Seve Ballesteros. Then a birdie at the ninth by Jack. Then . . . It was an amazing day when the ground really did shake. Honest. A shootout. A magic run. As leader Rory McIlroy -- he's seen a 4-shot lead at the start of the day shrink to 1 -- and playing partner Angel Cabrera make the turn, the back nine has all the making of a rip-roaring shootout. McIlroy by one over Cabrera, K.J. Choi and Charl Schwartzel. Tiger backing up with a bogey at the 12th and a poor chip at the 13th. Luke Donald and Adam Scott tied with Tiger two back. And now the back nine. Could it rock like it did in 1986? We're all wondering. Like we said, a blast from the past. And just maybe  a peek at the future.

6:49 PM

Leaderboard update: Final group off

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Angel Cabrera and Rory McIlroy have teed off in the day’s final pairing with McIlroy splitting the fairway with his opening tee shot.

Meanwhile, out in front of Cabrera and McIlroy, a few players have closed the gap on the lead ever so slightly. Charl Schwartzel opened with a birdie on the first hole to get to 9 under and within two, while Luke Donald is now 8 under after a birdie on the second hole.

Tiger Woods also made two early birdies on Nos. 2 and 3 to reach 7 under, but he gave one right back with a bogey on No. 4.

McIlroy’s scorecard | Cabrera’s scorecard


4:40 PM

A missed cut pays off for Cabrera

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM Site Producer

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Sometimes missing the cut isn’t such a bad thing. That’s what Angel Cabrera did last week in Houston. The result? Three hours of range work with coach Charlie Epps.

“I had to keep working,” Cabrera said Saturday night after shooting a 67 that has him tied for second. “That’s part of it.”

The other part of it, Cabrera said, is having his son on the bag this week.

While little Angel wasn’t on the bag the last time Cabrera won here in 2009, this obviously isn’t an unfamiliar position for the Argentine. two years ago, he birdied Nos. 15 and 16 then saved par to make it into a three-man playoff with Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell.

What will be Cabrera’s approach to today’s final round?

“It all depends,” he said. “You've got to start your round and start playing and see how things are, but once you are on 10, that's when you know the tournament starts. That's when you know you have to be aggressive.”

Click here for more about Cabrera’s chances and how he got to this point


4:15 PM

Inside the numbers: Sunday set-up

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- In 1997, when Tiger Woods was 21 years old, he won the Masters in dominating fashion thanks to a third-round 65 that separated him from the field. Since then, only one player, Trevor Immelman, has entered the third round of the Masters with sole possession of the lead and then played the third round under par -- until Saturday when Rory McIlroy shot 70 to open up a four-shot lead. That’s the biggest lead entering the final round here since, you guessed it, Woods in 1997.

· Adam Scott got himself back into contention in the third round with a 67.  Scott has dominated the par-5s this week at Augusta National -- especially the par-5 13th, which he’s played in 5 under. Since 1992, three others have played a single hole at the Masters in 5 under through three rounds: Retief Goosen (2008), Bernhard Langer (2000) and Phil Mickelson (2010), all of whom played the 15th hole in 5 under. Scott has also played all of the par-5s in 11 under through three rounds. In the last 20 years, only two other golfers, Woods in 2010 and Greg Norman in 1995, have played the par-5s here in at least 11 under.

· Angel Cabrera, who won here just two years ago, is in contention again after his 67 Saturday. Cabrera’s round included six birdies and only one bogey. For a player who seems to rise to the occasion in major championships, however, Cabrera has had only two previous rounds in his major career where he had six or more birdies or better and one or fewer holes played over par.

· If Woods is going to win a fifth Green Jacket, he’ll have to come from a record seven shots back. Woods’ 2-over 73 on Saturday marked just the second time in his career that he’s been over par in the third round here at Augusta National.


4:00 PM

Your open thread: The Masters, Rd. 4

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Rory McIlroy carries a four-shot lead into today's final round of the Masters.

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The final round of the Masters is under way from Augusta National, where the final group of Rory McIlroy, trying to win his first major at the ripe old age of 21, and Angel Cabrera, trying to win his second Green Jacket in three years, will tee off at 2:40 p.m. ET. Will one of them win? Nineteen of the last 20 winners here have come from the final pairing. Or will K.J. Choi, who finished fourth last year, win? Can Tiger Woods win his first major coming from behind? He’s seven shots back. Discuss here as it unfolds.


April 9 2011

1:00 AM

Sunday preview: Can Rory hang on?

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Rory McIlroy has been picture-perfect through three rounds at Augusta National.

By Melanie Hauser, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent

AUGUSTA, GA – Get ready for Masters Sunday at Augusta Inter-National, where a a mop-headed Irish lad holds a four-shot lead on a field.

You think Rory McIlroy will get some text messages/phone calls/tweets Saturday night? Reigning U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, who missed the cut, followed him Saturday afternoon and sent him a text saying he loved him. (Rory said he wasn't sure if that was the beer talking or G-Mac.)

McIlroy’s sure to hear from others, such as Padraig Harrington, Martin Kaymer and maybe Louis Oosthuizen. Even Lee Westwood, who is nine shots back might offer some support.

Rounds of  65-69-70 have the 21-year-old from Northern Ireland heading out for a final 18 holes with 2009 champ Angel Cabrera. K.J. Choi, Charl Schwartzel and Jason Day are tied with Cabrera four back.

Adam Scott, who's making yet another comeback, is another shot back  and tied with Luke Donald, who is trying to break the dreaded Par-3 curse.

Jason Day had a chance to  slide into the final group and play with McIlroy for a fourth consecutive day, but he missed his birdie at the 18th.

Tiger Woods had a chance to settle in five back of the lead, but bogeyed the final hole to start Sunday seven back.

Sunday's forecast calls for another steamy day. Humid. 90s. Survival mode. Bombers haven. Who'll stay cool and who'll wilt under pressure? We don't pretend to know.

But we can tell you the following:

  •   Nine of the top 13 players on the board, including McIlroy, have never won a major.
  •   Not saying he will, but if McIlroy fades, there are 23 players within five shots of what is currently second place.
  •   The four major champs chasing McIlroy have a combined 18 majors.
  •   The largest comeback in the final round? Jack Burke Jr., came from eight down after 58 holes and nine back during the final round to win in 1956. Gary Player came from eight back in 1978. Nick Faldo blew past Greg Norman and his six-shot lead in 1996.
  •   A Tiger miracle would give him major No. 15 as he chases Jack Nicklaus' record of 18.
  •   A Cabrera win would give the lumbering Argentinian his second Green Jacket and third major.
  •   Geoff Ogilvy could win major No. 2. Ditto for 51-year-old Fred Couples, who's tied with Ogilvy and Woods.
  •   A win by an international player would mean international players would hold all four major titles.
  •   A win by Scott, Day or Ogilvy would be the first by an Australian.
  •   A win by McIlroy? That would give Ireland/Northern Ireland five of the last 11 major titles.

Lots of faces. Lots of plots. Will the kid hang on and win? Will one of the other kids win? Will Donald snap the Par-3 jinx? Will Tiger . . .

Stay tuned.