Masters 2024 highlights: Round 3 leaderboard, how Tiger Woods did and more

2024-12-19 07:51:13 News

It was an eventful moving day at the Masters.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has his sights set on a second green jacket. The 2022 Masters champ shot a 1-under 71 Saturday to take a one-shot lead into Sunday's final round. Scheffler (7 under) leads Collin Morikawa (6 under), who had one of Saturday's best rounds by shooting a 3-under 69, and Max Homa (5 under) atop the leaderboard.

Tiger Woods will not be among those in contention on Sunday. After making history with a 24th consecutive made cut at Augusta, Woods struggled mightily in the third round Saturday, carding his worst Masters round ever by shooting a 10-over 82.

USA TODAY Sports has all the highlights from the third round, including Tiger Woods' status, the leaderboard and more:

Who is leading at the Masters 2024?

Scottie Scheffler, the 2022 Masters champ, is out in front at 7 under. He shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday.

What did Tiger shoot today?

Tiger Woods shot a 10-over 82 Saturday. It was the worst round at the Masters he's ever had.

Complete Masters leaderboard

Find the live Masters leaderboard here.

Bryson DeChambeau caps third round with stunning chip for birdie

What a way to cap a round.

Bryson DeChambeau drilled a 77-yard chip and got the backspin roll into the hole to birdie the par-4 18th and keep DeChambeau within striking distance heading into the final round on Sunday.

It was a bad start to the hole when DeChambeau’s tee shot hooked right and into the woods. On the second shot, DeChambeau got onto the fairway but faced a slim chance of being able to birdie the hole, only for the chip to go in. DeChambeau is now 3-under and in fifth place after the third round.

Scottie Scheffler ends third round on top after birdie on 18

The world No. 1 will head into the final round atop the leaderboard.

Scottie Scheffler recovered from a bad start to the back nine to end the third round at 7-under and in first place.

Scheffler got to 8-under after the third hole, but struggled later when he had a double bogey on the par-4 10th and bogey on the par-4 11th. But then the 2022 Masters champion turned it up on the par-5 13th. He got to the green after the second shot and he drilled a 31-foot putt for eagle. He’d get another birdie and bogey, but capped off the excellent recovery with a birdie on the par-4 18th.

Just behind Scheffler is Collin Morikawa, who played a nearly mistake-free third round to enter Sunday 6-under par.

Scottie Scheffler makes eagle for share of the lead

Scottie Scheffler is back on top. He’s sunk a lengthy putt for eagle on the 13th hole to take the co-lead with fellow American Colli Morikawa at 3-under for the tournament. Scheffler opened the third round with two birdies in the first three holes, before registering two bogeys and a double-bogey over the next nine. He took advantage of the Par-5, 13th hole and pumped his fist after his eagle putt. It marked his first eagle of the 2024 Masters.

Collin Morikawa takes the lead on wild day at Augusta

Tricky third-round scoring conditions led to a roller coaster of a leaderboard Saturday afternoon at Augusta National.

Through 13 holes, Collin Morikawa held a solo lead at 6-under. Just two holes prior, there were five golfers tied at that mark.

Youngsters Ludvig Aberg and Nicolai Hojgaard were hanging around at 5-under, as was Max Homa. Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler (4-under) were co-leaders when they teed off their rounds, but both find themselves two shots back.

Xander Schauffele (2-under) shot a 2-under 70 Saturday and could be someone to watch for a potential run tomorrow. — Richard Morin

Tiger Woods wraps up miserable third round

Tiger Woods dropped down the leaderboard on Saturday. The five-time Masters champion bogeyed four of his last five holes in the third round to end the day at 10-over and 11-over for the tournament.

Woods started Saturday right in the mix at 1-over for the tournament, but it appeared that the 23 holes that Woods played on Friday due to a weather delay took their toll on his body.

Woods struggled early and appeared to battle fatigue, registering back-to-back double bogeys on the 7th and 8th holes. He finished Saturday with two birdies, eight bogeys and two double-bogeys. He’s tied for 52nd place.

Nicolai Hojgaard takes Masters lead

Scottie Scheffler leads the Masters no more. Instead it's his playing partner, 23-year-old Nicolai Hojgaard, taking the solo lead at 7-under through 10 holes Saturday at Augusta National.

Scheffler started the hole atop the leaderboard but made double-bogey at the 10th to drop to 5-under, good for a fourth-place tie.

Collin Morikawa and Max Homa were in a tie for second place at 6-under.

Hojgaard has never won on the PGA Tour. His best major finishes are T-23 at the 2023 Open Championship at T-50 at the 2023 PGA Championship.

Scottie Scheffler leading through his front nine

The world No. 1 is now atop the Masters leaderboard.

Scottie Scheffler entered the day tied for first place at 6-under, and he emerged through the front nine as the sole leader of the Masters. Scheffler got off to a fast start with birdies on two of the first three holes, but bogeyed the par-3 4th to go back down to 7-under. Scheffler is attempting to win his second Masters in three years after he took home the 2022 title.

Max Homa and Bryson DeChambeau were tied with Scheffler to start the day and they’ve both kept pace. Each golfer remains 6-under as they wrap up the front nine.

Tiger Woods birdies No. 13 in Masters third round

After a miserable end to his front nine, five-time Masters winner Tiger Woods birdied the par-5 13th to stay even on his back nine as the 48-year-old appeared to stabilize his adventurous third round.

The birdie on 13 was Woods' second of the day. He also birdied the par-4 fifth and at the time was the only golfer to do so on a tough afternoon for scoring at Augusta National.

Woods now sits at 6-over for the round and 6-over for the tournament.

Elsewhere, Scottie Scheffler held the Saturday lead at 7-under through seven holes. Max Homa (-6) was right on his tail, and Bryson DeChambeau and Collin Morikawa (-5) were not far behind. – Richard Morin

Homa, Scheffler tee off, Tiger Woods drops down leaderboard

As the leaders make their way out on the front nine for third-round action at Augusta National, a few contenders are signaling they aim to make some moves on a Saturday.

Collin Morikawa and Ryan Fox have each made up three strokes through their first several holes, a message to leaders Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa and Bryson DeChambeau that their positions may not be safe.

Morikawa's three birdies to start his round brought him to 6-under overall, good for a second-place tie with DeChambeau and Homa. Scheffler, meanwhile, took a solo lead at 7-under with a 36-foot chip-in for birdie on the first.

After an impressive birdie on No. 5, five-time Masters winner Tiger Woods struggled mightily on the rest of the back nine. He suffered consecutive double-bogeys on seven and eight, and added two more bogies on top of that. He is at 7-over for the tournament.

Tiger Woods struggles on Nos. 6 and 7

After making a sensational birdie on the par-4 fifth, five-time Masters winner Tiger Woods dropped three strokes on his next two holes – including a double-bogey on the seventh.

On a day that has been tough for scoring thus far, Woods had climbed inside the top 20 on the leaderboard through his first five holes but gave it all back with a difficult stretch through six and seven.

It was an adventure to forget for Woods on the par-4 seventh. His tee shot went right. His second shot came up short of a bunker. His third shot went into the bunker. Woods finally found the green in four but needed two putts to find the bottom of the cup.

Woods now sits 3-over for the round and 4-over for the tournament.

– Richard Morin

Tiger Woods birdies No. 5 at Augusta

Tiger Woods sank an 18-footer for the first birdie of the day on the par-4 fifth, getting his round back to even par after dropping a shot on the previous hole. It was just Woods' seventh career birdie on the hole, which has played as one of the toughest at Augusta National this week.

Woods hit a 313-yard drive that gave him a strong angle on his approach shot, which the five-time Masters champion placed within 20 feet of the pin.

The trickiest part, though, is making the putt on Azalea's unforgiving green.

He is still Tiger Woods, after all.

— Richard Morin

Tiger Woods through four holes

Although it looked initially as though scoring conditions would be ripe during the third round at Augusta National, most players were finding it difficult just maintaining a par average Saturday.

One of the few who found early struggles was five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods, who was 1-over through his first four holes and 2-over for the tournament.

More than four hours through the round, there was only one birdie or better on holes 4-6.

The first two golfers to go out Saturday, Hideki Matsuyama and Rickie Fowler, both shot 1-under 71 for the round.

– Richard Morin

Tiger Woods tees off Saturday

The five-time Masters winner is off to a good start in the third round.

Tiger Woods made the cut and started his third round 1-over-par. On his opening tee shot, Woods drilled it 305 yards down the fairway, generating a round of applause from the gallery, perhaps a preview of what could be a big day. His second shot landed in the green, 48 feet away from the pin. It was going to be a tough putt to birdie, but Woods got it to two feet away, and he tapped in on his fourth shot for par on the first hole.

Woods is tied for 22nd on the leaderboard.

– Jordan Mendoza

2024 Masters purse breakdown

Not only will the winner of the 2024 Masters earn the coveted green jacket, they'll take home a record pay day too.

The payout for winning first place will reach another high, as the Augusta National Golf Club announced the purse for the Masters is $20 million. It's an increase from $18 million in 2023 and $15 million in 2022. With more money being handed out, this year's winner of the Masters will take home the highest winnings in its storied history.

Here's how much the top 10 will win:

$3.6 million
$2.16 million
$1.36 million
$960,000
$800,000
$720,000
$670,000
$620,000
$580,000
$540,000

– Jordan Mendoza

Masters moving day: Luke List starts with birdie, eagle

Saturday is shaping up to be a moving day for the golfers at Augusta National.

Low scores were all over the front nine in the first hour-plus of the third round, including a searing start from Luke List that gave fans something to cheer about early.

After holing out from 24 yards for a birdie at No. 1, List hit a beautiful approach shot into the par-5 second to set up the first eagle of the day. By picking up three strokes on his first two holes, List moved up 20 spots on the leaderboard as he approached the tee box on No. 3.

With the leaders sitting at 6-under through two rounds, the top of the leaderboard could look vastly different if conditions continue Saturday. — Richard Morin

Hideki Matsuyama off to hot start

Hideki Matsuyama is playing like he has nothing to lose.

The 2021 Masters winner opened his third round at Augusta National with two birdies in his first three holes. After making par on the par-4 No. 1, Matsuyama converted an impressive bunker shot on the second as well as a tight approach shot on the third. He nearly made another birdie with a hole out from the bunker on the par-3 fourth, but the ball rimmed out and Matsuyama tapped in for par.

Matsuyama, who began the day at 6-over for the tournament, is still a far way off the top of the leaderboard now at 4-over but his strong start could be a harbinger for prime scoring conditions Saturday. – Richard Morin

Masters champions list

Here are the Masters champions from the past 15 years:

2023 Jon Rahm
2022 Scottie Scheffler
2021 Hideki Matsuyama
2020 Dustin Johnson
2019 Tiger Woods
2018 Patrick Reed
2017 Sergio Garcia
2016 Danny Willett
2015 Jordan Spieth
2014 Bubba Watson
2013 Adam Scott
2012 Bubba Watson
2011 Charl Schwartzel
2010 Phil Mickelson
2009 Angel Cabrera
2008 Trevor Immelman

Masters’ third round tees off

Rickie Fowler and Hideki Matsuyama began play at 9:35 a.m. ET, the first pairing to get underway for Saturday’s third round.

Max Homa, Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau are tied for the lead at 6-under entering Saturday and Tiger Woods is at 1-over for the tournament, setting a record by making his 24th consecutive cut at the Masters.

Woods tees off at 12:45 p.m. with Scheffler (2:35 p.m.), Homa (2:45) and DeChambeau (2:45) scheduled to begin in the afternoon.

Zach Johnson denies cursing at Masters patrons

Former Masters champion Zach Johnson denied Friday that he directed profanity toward fans at Augusta National.

Television microphones appeared to catch Johnson, who won a green jacket in 2007, shouting an obscenity after making a putt for triple-bogey on the par-3 12th. He then tossed his ball into the creek.

Johnson, who was also the 2023 captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, claimed patrons were more than 150 yards away and that he couldn't even hear them.

"That I swore at the patrons? That's laughable," Johnson told reporters after his second round shooting a 3-over 75. "That's completely laughable. I can't hear the patrons, number one. Number two, I just made a triple bogey on the 12th hole that evidently is going to make me miss the cut, which at the time I knew was pretty sensitive in the sense that I needed to keep making pars.

Masters 2024 TV schedule

You can check out the complete Masters over-the-air television schedule for all four rounds here.

The Masters live stream

For cord-cutters, select focuses of the Masters will be available on Paramount+ and ESPN+ over the four-day event. Cord-cutters can also turn to Fubo, which carries CBS and ESPN.

Tiger Woods in Masters contention entering Saturday

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods is 48 going on 68 on good days, probably more like 78 on the others. His body is a mess, especially his right leg that was crushed and rebuilt after his 2021 car crash. The only way he can compete on tour these days is to give himself plenty of time between rounds to recover, ice up, get some rest and try again the next day. To circumvent any part of that process is to tempt fate, likely leading to a poor round, a missed cut and one fewer tournament left to be played in Tiger’s storied career.

So how do we explain what happened Friday at the Masters, when Tiger had to play 23 holes in a gusting wind with only a 52-minute break between the first five and the last 18, and actually got better as the day wore on?

“A long day, it’s been a long day, it was a good fight, we did really well out there,” he said afterward, looking absolutely exhausted after a second-round, even-par 72 left him one-over for the tournament. “I’m tired. I’ve been out there for awhile, competing, grinding. It’s been a long 23 holes, a long day.”

But then, as only Tiger could, he spun the conversation to his favorite topic: Winning. Or at least contending. Here. This weekend. Really.

– Christine Brennan, USA TODAY Sports

Masters odds

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the favorite to win the title at Augusta National, potentially adding a second green jacket to his collection, according to BetMGM.

Masters Round 3 start time

The third round of the Masters starts at 9:35 a.m. ET Saturday when Rickie Fowler and Hideki Matsuyama tee off.

What time does Tiger Woods tee off at the Masters?

Tiger Woods is set to tee off at 12:45 p.m. ET.

Scottie Scheffler: +150
Bryson DeChambeau: +600
Max Homa: +1600
Rory McIlroy: +1600
Ludvig Aberg: +2200
Brooks Koepka: +2500
Joaquin Niemann: +2800
Tyrrell Hatton: +2800
Tommy Fleetwood: +3000

Masters weather forecast: Saturday at Augusta

Saturday's weather forecast is projected to be sunny with a high of 76 degrees, according to AccuWeather. The site says it will be "a great day for golf."

There is zero percent chance of precipitation after a few days with the threat of rain.

The wind will also be tamer with a speed of nine miles per hour from the west.

Masters 2024 announcers

ESPN will feature a veteran team of hosts and analysts for its coverage of this year's tournament. Jim Nantz makes his return for CBS as does Verne Lundquist, who will be calling his final Masters.