Masters Live Updates | Birdie binge has Hovland back in race

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Live updates from Sunday’s third and fourth round of the Masters (all times local):

11:05 a.m.

Norway’s Viktor Hovland has climbed back into contention at the Masters following a birdie binge.

The world’s No. 9 player was able to string together five straight birdies on the back nine to climb to 8 under for the tournament, just four shots back of leader Brooks Koepka with two holes left to play in his third round.

Hovland became just the third player since the end of World War II to birdie holes 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 in the same round at the Masters, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The others are Tommy Nakajima in 1983 and Paul Casey in 2018. The streak ended when he made par on 16.

Hovland shared the first-round lead with Koepka and Jon Rahm after shooting 65 on Thursday but a 73 in the second round.

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10:45 a.m.

Scottie Scheffler’s bid to repeat at the Masters is in serious jepardy.

The world’s No. 1 player finished his third round with a 71, leaving him tied for 18th place and 10 shots behind leader Brooks Koepka. The largest final round comeback at the Masters belongs to Jack Burke Jr., who battled back from eight strokes to beat amateur Ken Venturi in 1956.

Scheffler dominated the 2022 Masters, winning by three strokes over Rory McIlroy despite finding trouble on No. 18 and bogeying the final hole. He was looking to become the first repeat Masters champion since Tiger Woods accomplished the feat in 2001 and 2002. Scheffler was the favorite coming into the tournament to win it.

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9:25 a.m. It didn’t take long for things to get interesting at the Masters.

Jon Rahm is applying some early pressure on leader Brooks Koepka and trails by just two shots with 10 holes completed in the third round.

Koepka led by four strokes when play resumed Sunday morning with both players starting on the No. 7 green following the suspension of play Saturday due to heavy rains. Koepka misfired on his par putt while Rahm rolled in his birdie, representing a two-shot swing in a matter of minutes.

Koepka, who plays on the LIV tour, is at 13 under.

Patrick Cantley is in third place at 7 under, while amateur Sam Bennett is in fourth place at 6 under.

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8:30 a.m.

Get set for a long day at Augusta National.

Players are back on the course at the weather-plagued Masters for the completion of the third round, with Brooks Koepka holding a four-stroke lead over Jon Rahm.

The tournament was suspended both Friday and Saturday because of inclement conditions, leading to a condensed schedule for the final day.

One player who won’t face the grueling day is Tiger Woods. He withdrew Sunday morning, noting on Twitter that he had reaggravated his plantar fasciitis.

After the third round is completed, the players will be re-grouped into pairings and sent off at 12:30 p.m. from both the first and 10th tees. That should provide enough time for the usual finish early Sunday evening.

It’s been 40 years since the Masters ended on a Monday.

Koepka’s fitness could be a factor since he’ll have to play 30 holes on Sunday. He’s still got 12 more holes left in the third round before he returns for the final round.

Play will go on without five-time champion Tiger Woods, who withdrew Sunday morning due to injury.

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7:45 a.m.

Five-time champion Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the Masters due to injury.

Woods was in last place among the golfers who had made the cut at 9 over when play was suspended Saturday. He was injured in a car accident in 2021 that nearly cost him his leg, and he spent part of this week in obvious pain limping around the course at Augusta National. Still, he made the cut for the 23rd straight time, tying a tournament record.

When Woods returned to the course Saturday afternoon to begin his weather-delayed third round, he struggled mightily and was 6 over through seven holes when play was suspended again. He did not return to finish the round Sunday.

It’s the first time that Woods has not completed 72 holes at Augusta National as a professional. He withdrew prior to the final round of the PGA Championship last year amid similarly cold, wet conditions at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Brooks Koepka is the leader with playing resuming at 8:30 a.m. He is 13 under with 12 holes to play in his third round.

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