Masters Leaderboard 2017: Sunday Score Updates and Tournament Predictions

Golf fans should buckle their seat belts, because the 2017 Masters is setting up to have a spectacular finish.

Justin Rose put on a charge during Saturday's moving-day round, firing a 67 that turned out to be the best score of the day. Rose was solid off the tee, resolute in his approach shots and excellent with his putter, and he shares the lead with Sergio Garcia going into the final round at the Augusta National Golf Club.

In addition to those two at the top of the leaderboard, Rickie Fowler is a stroke behind at five under, followed by the impressive group of Jordan Spieth, Ryan Moore and Charley Hoffman at four under par.

Ex-champions Adam Scott and Charl Schwartzel are lurking at three under and two under, respectively.

Rose earned his only major championship at the 2013 U.S. Open, but he has felt pressure at other major tournaments in the past. Sleeping on the lead can do a lot to calm a golfer's nerves since it beats the alternative, but the final round at Augusta is challenging under the best of circumstances.

If Rose can replicate the all-around excellence he had in the third round, the 36-year-old Englishman will have an excellent chance of going to Butler Cabin after his round and putting on the green jacket.

"Tomorrow is a huge day. I have an opportunity. That's all you want, but really it starts on the back nine on Sunday," Rose said after his moving-day round, per Ben Everill of PGATour.com. "A one‑shot lead starting the day doesn't mean much. You're going to have to go out and play a good round of golf, and I think there are going to be four or five guys pretty much with the same mindset tomorrow."

Garcia has been an enigmatic performer on the PGA Tour since he challenged for the 1999 PGA Championship and ended up falling short behind Tiger Woods. As well as Garcia has played over the years, he has never won a major championship.

Garcia's problems in the biggest events usually involve failing to execute the closer they come to the finish, but that was not the case during Saturday's third round.

The Spaniard overcame previous moving-day issues at the Masters by firing a 70, and he has been quite consistent at this year's tournament. He shot a 71 in his opening round and 69 in the second.

Garcia has won more than $44 million throughout his career, but he has had just nine PGA Tour victories. While he has played calm and controlled golf through this point in the tournament, Garcia is going to have to take it to a new level if he is going to earn his first major title.

Rickie Fowler is one of the crowd favorites, and he is in a perfect position to attack on the tournament's final day.

Fowler followed up his second-round score of 67 with a solid 71, and his game is in excellent shape. He ranks eighth in FedEx Cup points and in the World Ranking, and there's no reason that Fowler can't put it all together during the final round.

He understands what it takes to put a great round together on the PGA Tour. He is averaging 68.801 per round, and that figure ranks first among his peers. He also ranks first in sand save percentage this season, according to PGATour.com and that could be a huge factor in the final round at the Masters. Fowler has been on fire with his putter, making all 30 of his putts from five feet and under.

"This is by far the best I’ve felt in a major," Fowler said, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. "Just this week, how I feel physically, mentally, how my game feels, how I feel just about life. I feel great on the golf course. It feels like I’m right where I’m supposed to be."

Spieth is in a remarkable position after a brutal start in the tournament. He shot a 75 in the opening round that included a quadruple bogey nine on the 15th hole, and that could have sent him into a tailspin and ruined his tournament.

However, he followed that up with rounds of 69 and 68, and he may be the most confident golfer at Augusta. Spieth has finished second, first and second in his three Masters appearances as a professional, and there's little reason to think he won't be in contention throughout the round.

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Adam Scott also struggled in his opening round with a 75, but he did not let that poor showing in the windy conditions impact his mindset. He has followed with back-to-back rounds of 69, and his ball-striking has been excellent.

That's nothing new for Scott, who is known for his nearly perfect swing. The key for Scott will be his putting, which is normally hit or miss for the 2013 Masters champion. If he can hit one or two key putts early in the final round, there's no reason he can't be a factor throughout Sunday's final round.

While players in the top six appear to have the best chance of winning the first major tournament of the year, don't count out those who are one under or even par.

The most notable of that group include Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm at even par. McIlroy has been hitting the ball well throughout the week, but his approach shots have not always been stellar. As a result, he has not broken 71 in any of his rounds. Rahm looked like he would be among the leaders after shooting a 70 in the second round, but he struggled with a 73 on moving day.

Still, Rahm often has the look of the tour's next superstar, and he has the talent to challenge the best golfers in the world when he puts it all together.

Predictions

The final round will be an emotional challenge for Rose and Garcia, both of whom are talented enough to play remarkable golf in the final round of the Masters.

However, the question for both will be how they hold up during the back nine. Traditionally, that's where the Masters has been decided, and a meltdown by either player at Amen Corner or during the closing three holes would not be a shocker.

The belief here is that Rose will keep it together throughout the majority of the round, but Garcia will fall prey to the issues that have tripped him up throughout most of his career.

Fowler has an opportunity to put his name in the annals of Masters champions. The 28-year-old from Murietta, California is a student of the game, and his reverence for Arnold Palmer is well known. Fowler watched the tournament's opening ceremonies that honored the memory of The King with a tear in his eyes, and winning the Masters this year would clearly be an emotional event for the tour's fashionista.

Spieth has special motivation after blowing last year's tournament during the final round and starting out so poorly this time around. Spieth's consistency with the flat stick could prove to be the difference.

Then there's Scott, whose picture-perfect swing has always been the envy of his peers. He has shown he can play well on the back nine when the championship is on the line, and that should help him Sunday.

In the end, we expect Rose to hold the lead throughout the majority of the final round, but Fowler will pass him during the final two holes and take a late lead into the clubhouse.

Fowler wins his beloved green jacket and the tears will flow in Butler Cabin.