2015 Masters Leaderboard: Real-Time Updates for Augusta's Leaders on Sunday
Hollywood couldn't have provided a better script for Sunday's final round at the 2015 Masters.
Jordan Spieth remains in control of the tournament with a four-stroke lead and is looking to become the first wire-to-wire winner at Augusta National since Raymond Floyd in 1976. The 21-year-old phenom has been brilliant through 54 holes, but he's now being chased by some of golf's most iconic figures.
Justin Rose leads the pack attempting to catch Spieth. Following a scintillating back nine on Saturday, the Englishman is at 12 under for the tournament and will be paired with Spieth. Phil Mickelson found his aggressive playing style once again and moved to 11 under through three rounds. Due to his gambling playing style, he's always a threat on a Sunday.
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Interestingly enough, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy will be paired together Sunday after each shot a 68 in Round 3. Woods is looking to reignite his career while McIlroy is searching for the career Grand Slam. This pairing is very fitting considering this commercial that Nike released prior to the Masters:
How's that for a storybook ending?
With Sunday's action sure to provide plenty of changes on the leaderboard, here's a look at the tournament's updated standings:
Sunday Storylines to Watch
Pristine Scoring Conditions Again
Earlier in the week, the weather forecast for the Masters was chock-full of anticipated rain and thunderstorms. Luckily enough, Augusta wasn't pelted with nasty weather and scoring conditions remained great as a result. Well, according to Weather.com, that will be the case again Sunday.
With a high of 80, overcast skies, 11 mph winds and just a 20 percent chance of rain, the Masters' finale may feature some very low numbers. That will make the tournament's conclusion very interesting, as the field has some work to do to catch Spieth.
Look for players with a hot hand to challenge the leader early on a day that should yield plenty of birdies. Rose, Spieth's playing partner, may provide the biggest threat, as he's coming off a brilliant back nine in which he recorded five birdies over his last six holes on Saturday.
Avoiding a Meltdown
With optimal scoring conditions for the field, Spieth must be very cautious Sunday. He must remain patient and avoid taking unnecessary risks to ensure a final-round meltdown doesn't happen. After all, that's not an unusual occurrence at the Masters.
Spieth isn't exactly entering the final round with an abundance of confidence. Last year, his 72 wasn't good enough to take the tournament, as he eventually fell to Bubba Watson. He's also coming off a bad finish to his third round, recording a double bogey on the par-four 17th.
Adding to the pressure is the massive amount of talent around Spieth in the final round. He knows who is behind him on the leaderboard, and he shared his thoughts on the final round during a press conference, via Karen Crouse of The New York Times:
"There's going to be a lot of roars. Phil is going to have a lot of roars in front. Tiger and Rory, you're going to hear something there.
It's just about throwing those out of my mind. Not worrying about it, not caring, setting a goal and being patient with the opportunities that are going to come my way. I feel comfortable with the way I'm striking the ball. My putting stroke feels good.
"
He certainly seems confident, and he'll need every ounce of it to finish the tournament strong and earn the coveted green jacket.
Marquee Pairing
Do yourself a favor and scroll up to watch the Nike video featuring Woods and McIlroy again.
Done? Good. Now think of the fact they will actually be playing the final round of the Masters together and both are in contention. It's a storyline that will send chills up your spine.
McIlroy is in search of his career Grand Slam. Having won the U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship, all he lacks is a green jacket. Six players have achieved the feat, and interestingly enough, the last to do so was Woods.
Before the Masters, many thought Woods' career was over. He was battling injuries, swing alterations and the dreaded yips. It was uncertain if he'd ever be back in form. Well, following his improved play throughout the week at Augusta, it may be safe to say he's back—as long as he can keep it up for one more round and finish strong.
Woods enters the final round with plenty of confidence. Here's what he had to say about Saturday's performance during a press conference, via Mike McAllister of PGATour.com, "It could have been something seriously low today. I had it really going...All in all, if you probably look at it, it should have been about two shots better."
Keep a keen eye on Woods and McIlroy on Sunday. They're sure to provide some fireworks.
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