AUGUSTA – Coming off the 18th green after shooting his third straight round in the 70s, defending Masters champion Jon Rahm was told that Augusta National was much more playable on Saturday.
“You think?” Rahm said with playful incredulity. “There’s still a couple spots where it gusted, still some heavy winds.”
Rahm was speaking the truth. While conditions weren’t nearly as menacing Saturday as Friday, when sustained winds blew at 20 miles an hour and gusts approached 50, Augusta National did not turn suddenly docile and accommodating. There were still double-digit winds all day, especially at the higher elevations. And the tournament committee continued to play snooker with the pin locations on the quickest greens in golf.
Rahm managed to shoot even-par 72 on Saturday. It probably felt like a relative 66. He shot 73 and 76, respectively on Thursday and Friday.
Rahm entered his eighth Masters with a 70.5 career scoring average here. He had only one round in the 70s last year (a third-round 73) on the way to claiming the green jacket with a 12-under-par total score.
Heading into this year’s final round at 5-over, it’s pretty clear that Rahm won’t become the fourth repeat champion in Masters history. The 29-year-old Spaniard was still processing that one as he left the grounds Saturday.
“I mean, worse case I’ll be a part of the (jacket) ceremony. I’ll be there,” Rahm joked. “I’m guessing that’ll be a little different. … Bit of a sour feeling knowing you’re not in contention.”
In need of a world ranking
Patrick Reed’s major streak is on the line. Without a major Sunday charge at the Masters, Reed will not qualify for the PGA Championship next month. He will be a victim of LIV Golf players not earning world ranking points.
Reed, a former Masters champion, was asked whether he would consider playing events in Asia in an attempt to earn ranking points. He said he has not decided.
“I definitely believe some of the guys that aren’t in that have been a part of LIV that have just kind of free-falled down the world ranking system isn’t because it’s an accurate reflection of where they are in the world, it’s just we don’t have the opportunity to get the world ranking points,” Reed said. “Hopefully the PGA the U.S and. Open and The Open Championship take a look at things like that and take consideration on who they’re deciding to give exemptions to.”
The old guard hangs around for the weekend
It’s a good year to be an old-school Masters champion. Senior citizens Jose Maria Olazabal, 58, and Vijay Singh, 61, are both playing the weekend for a change. Olazabal hasn’t been around for the weekend since 2021 and it’s been since 2018 for Singh. Each has failed to qualify for the final two rounds in seven of their last eight Masters.
Olazabal birdied the 16th hole on Friday and made the cut on the number a 6-over. He was 3-over through seven holes on Saturday but was able to grind out 11 consecutive pars to shoot 75 and stands 9-over.
“I know for me to play the weekend here is just a fantastic achievement,” Olazabal said.
Singh made the cut a 4-over and birdied the first hole on Saturday. But the magic ran out with a bogey at No. 3, a double bogey at No. 4 and bogeys at No. 5 and 6. He finished with a career-worst 10-over 82, leaving him 14-over for the tournament.
Shipley is low amateur
Neal Shipley is the only amateur playing this weekend, meaning he has already earned the silver cup that goes to the low amateur – regardless of the 8-over 80 he shot on Saturday. Shipley, a senior at Ohio State, will be in the Butler Cabin on Sunday when CBS televises the green jacket ceremony.
“It feels really good,” he said. “I had my eyes set on competing this weekend and still going to be trying to do that (Sunday) and try to climb up the leaderboard a little bit.”
After the Masters, Shipley will return to the Buckeyes and compete in the Big 10 Championship and the NCAAs. He is exempt into the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur, where he was runner-up in 2023 and earned a spot in the Masters. Shipley also tied for second at the Dogwood Invitational at Druid Hills Golf Club.
Shipley will be paired with Tiger Woods in Sunday’s final round.
-Stan Awtrey, Chip Towers and Chris Vivlamore contributed to this report.
