Masters Abandons Scottie Scheffler & Collin Morikawa Ahead of Final Round Despite Being Leaderboard Tops

The third round witnessed a shift in the leaderboard again! Even though Scottie Scheffler didn’t budge from his position, at T2 was Collin Morikawa, instead of Bryson DeChambeau and Max Homa like Saturday’s beginning. At T4, proudly sits Masters rookie, Ludvig Aberg. Nicolai Hojgaard surprisingly lost the stellar lead that he had when he started his game for the third day, courtesy 5 five consecutive bogeys from par-4 11th to par-5 15th.

After Scheffler’s and Morikawa‘s games, people would have been looking forward to watching them on TV! But that is not happening! Despite the spotlight, the leaderboard tops are not regarded as featured groups for Sunday’s game.

However, in terms of the groups, Neal Shipley and Tiger Woods are scheduled for 9:35 a.m., following Jon Rahm and Tony Finau at 11:45 a.m. Following them, Rory McIlroy and LIV golfer Joaquin Niemann will continue together, with Bryson DeChambeau and Xander Schauffele slated for 2:15 p.m. Interestingly, DeChambeau and Xander Schauffle find themselves in groups while occupying T5 and T6 positions, respectively.

The key players, including World #1, #2, and #5, were not regarded as the featured pairings for Thursday’s game. This also garnered a lot of negative attention from the fans on the internet; some even referred to it as a “disgrace to the game.”

However, given the esteemed status of Masters victories, DeChambeau could be interpreted as exerting additional effort on Sunday, hence giving fans something extra to enjoy the tournament. Yesterday as well, the LIV golfer lost his lead massively, but thanks to the birdie he made on the 18th, he was able to close the day with 3 under. But why is this year’s Masters so important for DeChambeau?

Why does this Masters hold significant importance for Bryson DeChambeau?

Although Bryson DeChambeau has an exemption to play in the 2025 Masters thanks to his 2020 US Open win, time is of the essence. This victory is crucial for DeChambeau, as it not only grants him a lifetime exemption to compete at Augusta but also offers a chance to boost his ranking from #210 to #21 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Given his involvement with the Saudi-funded league, DeChambeau’s victory at the Masters stands as his only certain opportunity to secure a spot in future editions of the tournament. Being in the top spot after the Masters ends will only help him secure a few other appearances—not a lifetime opportunity!

However, DeChambeau led the leaderboard in the initial rounds, and with the final round approaching, do you anticipate his Sunday performance will secure him the Masters win? Who are you looking forward to seeing win this year? Don’t forget to visit our blog to stay informed about the Masters!