On Thursday, Justin Rose came out with a -7 and it felt like this was going to be a high (er, well, low) scoring Masters. The weather was set to be beautiful, the greens looked fast, felt like everyone was hitting the fairway and was gonna be getting birdies. Scottie Scheffler and Ludvig Aberg (-4) were hovering but I had my eye on Bryson De Chambeau (-3) as one who looked ready to take off.
On Friday, Rose kinda faded (a piddly -1 for the day), but it felt like bad luck, I didn't give up on him. Rory McIlroy (-6) was the man of the day and De Chambeau pitched in another -4. Xander Schauffle went -3 and (simply because he's the best in the world right now) felt like he was in the mix.
On Saturday, Rory shot another -6 and took the commanding lead at -12. Rory has had his meltdowns at Augusta before, but this was the last one he needed to complete the career gand slam and everyone was waiting for either triumph and agony (*popcorn go munch*). De Chambeau had another -3, the only person to shoot under 70 on each of the first three days, quietly playing some damn good golf, it was set up for Bryson to be Rory's real competition. Aberg bounced back from a disappointing Friday to finish the day at -6. Rose had a disappointing +2, but he was still in the pelaton. Patrick Reed quietly climbed the leader board, and like De Chambeau, playing solid.
Coming into Sunday: Rory (-12), De Chambeau (-10), Reed, Rose, Lowry (-6), Scheffler, Day, Aberg (-5)
Obviously it was set up for De Chambeau to be the one to make the most of any mistakes Rory laid down. The rest of the pack felt too far behind, I thought Rose, Scheffler and Aberg would linger and maybe get a chance if a catrastrophe broke out, but I didn't have much faith in Reed, Lowry or Day.
Rory blew it on the first hole! In Tyson-level quickness, De Chambeau has the lead and everyone senses the sky has already fallen. But, not me! I thought that Rory had made his mistake, gotten the yips out of his system and would cruise for the rest of the day. Sure enough, De Chambeau soon faltered, Rory took the lead back and was untouched for the next 10 or so holes.
Then Rose made a run, Rory stumbled. Rory had a chance to win it on 18 but the putt just slid over the hole and everyone felt the nightmare was real as the two finished tied. But Rory birded the first OT hole and took it and the audience was relieved. The back-9 was riveting throughout: at first because it felt like Rory was going to master the Masters and then because it felt like Rose was gonna steal it.
I was surprised how bad De Chambeau was--he was not the one I thought would totally yank it on Sunday.
Reed quietly had a nice tournament (-9, 3rd place), Scheffler (-8, 4th place), too, didn't make a lot of noise but he was hanging around the whole time.
And as can only happen at the Masters, Sungjae Im, killed it on Sunday, ending up finishing 5th and I don't recall watching him even for a second, not a single highlight.
I love the Masters and this was the best in a while. I love watching dudes dominate and I love watching a demolition derby on Sunday, either way works for me. This was a mix of both: Rory and Rose killed it and yet neither were strong enough to hold back the uncertainty. A good one.
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