Masters 2018: Predictions, Live Stream and TV Coverage Hub for Sunday
The final round of the 2018 Masters is set up for a duel between Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy, who were the top-two names on the leaderboard after Saturday's third round.
Reed dominated Augusta National Golf Club over the last 36 holes to open up a three-shot advantage over McIlroy.
The 28-year-old McIlroy is one victory at Augusta away from completing the career Grand Slam, and there is plenty of reason to believe he can eclipse Reed on the leaderboard and make history.
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While Reed and McIlroy appear to be in their own class going into Sunday, there's a handful of golfers beneath them capable of surging up the standings and putting pressure on the pair.
Sunday Coverage Info
TV: CBS (2 p.m.-7 p.m. ET)
Live Stream: Masters.com
Predictions
Reed Outlasts McIlroy by 1 Stroke
With the collection of high-profile players converging on Augusta this week, we expected some type of dramatic finish to occur.
Although the volume of golfers involved in the hunt for the green jacket dwindled Saturday, there is going to be a fierce showdown between Reed and McIlroy.
Before it even starts, Sunday's final round is drawing comparisons to the epic Ryder Cup singles match between the two players in 2016.
Reed won the head-to-head matchup at Hazeltine National Golf Club 1-up, and it set the tone for the United States to secure the Ryder Cup.
The 27-year-old Reed is the owner of scorecards littered with birdies and eagles from his first three rounds at Augusta.
However, the pressure of leading on the final day of a major can be overwhelming, especially for someone who hasn't won a Grand Slam yet in his career like Reed.
Although he seems invincible, Reed recorded five bogeys in the first three rounds, with two of them coming in the opening four holes.
If Reed opens up with a few pars and a bogey at No. 3 or No. 4, where he struggled a bit, he could open the door for McIlroy to tie him by the end of the front nine.
McIlroy, who shot a third-round 65, hasn't bogeyed his last 30 holes, and he has four the entire week, three of which came in the first six holes in Friday's second round.
With no sign of struggle in sight, McIlroy should come out strong and make Reed sweat from the first shot of the round.
McIlroy is historically a solid player on the final day of the Masters, as he carded four rounds in the 60s in his last five tournament appearances.
Conversely, Reed only played two final rounds at Augusta, with his last Sunday performance being a 76 on the way to a tie for 49th two years ago. Reed's best round at the Masters prior to this week came in the fourth round of the 2015 competition, when he recorded a 70 to earn a tie for 22nd.
McIlroy obviously has the longer history at Augusta, and he knows what the pressure of carrying the lead is like, as he blew a third-round advantage in 2011 by shooting 80.
While it isn't a terrible idea to back McIlroy and his experience, there's no denying how well Reed is playing, especially on the back nine, where he has seven birdies and two eagles.
If Reed comes anywhere close to replicating that play Sunday, he is going to edge out a tight win over McIlroy no matter how well the four-time major champion performs.
Fowler, Watson Keep the Pressure on Leaders
While it is easy to ignore the rest of the field due to the gap between the top two and everyone else, there are a few players worth watching Sunday just in case Reed and McIlroy slip up.
Rickie Fowler, who is five strokes back of Reed in third place, is no stranger to the first page of the leaderboard at majors, as he has seven top-five finishes, including a pair from a year ago at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship.
The 29-year-old still in search of his first Grand Slam victory turned in his best round of the tournament Saturday, as he used a bogey-free 65 to try and keep pace with the leaders.
Fowler experienced past success on Sunday at the Masters in 2015, as he shot 67 to move up to a tie for 12th.
Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson is another player from the earlier tee times who could make an impact on the leaderboard.
The left-hander trended in the right direction Friday and Saturday, but he failed to throw down the low scores like Reed, McIlroy and Fowler.
Although it is unlikely Watson makes up an eight-stroke deficit, he could use his past championship experience from Augusta to get off to a fast start Sunday.
If Fowler or Watson, or any other player in the top 10, is within three strokes of Reed entering the back nine, we could see more drama than expected as the vultures circle in anticipation of the leader making a mistake.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from Masters.com and Augusta.com.
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