2026 Masters LIVE: Leaderboard and updates from final round at Augusta

A year after his heartbreaking playoff loss to McIlroy, Justin Rose begins the final round three off the lead.

Playing with Jason Day, the Englishman finds the fairway with a perfect drive.

It’s the perfect start for the world No. 1.

The American hit his first drive of the day down the right side in a less than convincing start to his round.

But a special recovery saw him hit a fade around a tree to within six feet before he holed out for birdie.

Fellow American Jake Knapp has also birdied both the first and third to move to seven-under.

Scottie Scheffler is now making his way to the first tee.

He almost equaled the course record yesterday to bring himself to within four shots off the lead.

After a quiet first two rounds by his standards, he’s lurking in the chasing pack.

DANIEL MATTHEWS AT AUGUSTA: Players and patrons are already frying under the sun, with temperatures approaching 85f (30c). This is going to be a long day.

By 8.45am this morning, there were already 35 rows of camping chairs climbing up the banks around the 18th green. Unprecedented in recent years, according to someone who would know. But perhaps it’s no surprise – just look at the leaderboard.

Unlike yesterday, some of the early starters have ripped through Augusta. Gary Woodland, Viktor Hovland, Keegan Bradley and Jon Rahm among them. Does that mean we are in for a sprint finish later?

It might depend on how firm the greens become in this heat. I was down on 15 as the first group came through and Charl Schwartzel went for the par five in two. His approach landed on the green and made an almighty thump before bouncing off the back.

Just a year after McIlroy became just the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam, he’s chasing more records today.

The reigning champion could become only the fourth golfer to win back-to-back Masters titles.

The other three? Jack Nicklaus in 1965 and 1966, Nick Faldo in 1989 and 1990, and Tiger Woods in 2001 and 2002.

That would put McIlroy in pretty rarefied air.

ISABEL BALDWIN AT AUGUSTA: Haotong Li was on the verge of withdrawing from the Masters on Friday morning. When he stands on the first tee just four shots off the lead on Sunday, he will be glad that he didn’t follow through with that decision.

The Chinese star admitted on Friday that he had spent the previous night ‘living in the toilet.’ It left him fearing he would be unable to endure a full 18 holes over Augusta National. He was simply glad he ‘survived the day.’

24 hours later and Li did more than survive. On Saturday, despite claiming that he was still ‘battling,’ he made it into contention. Whatever sickness struck him down, The Masters provided the medicine.

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With just under an hour to go until the final pairing of Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young tee off, the American has been talking on the range.

He told CBS: ‘This golf course provides plenty of opportunities, but it is just a matter of staying in my own lane, doing my own thing.

‘Everyone is going to have their runs. It is just a matter of waiting around to have yours.’

DANIEL MATTHEWS AT AUGUSTA: Moving Day at Augusta begins at a crawl or in a panic, depending on how you choose – or rather, where you are allowed – to spend your morning.

Upstairs in the clubhouse – where the tables have been rearranged after this year’s Champions Dinner – green jackets and guests trickle on to the veranda before tucking into breakfast al fresco.

Down below, the gun sounds at 7.30 am. That is when the course opens and patrons race towards the banks overlooking the closing hole. Running is not allowed – even in the rush to park your chair and secure the best seat in the house.

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That’s three holes played and three birdies for Aberg to start his final round.

He’s now at six-under, five shots off the lead!

It’s not such a bright start for Tommy Fleetwood, whose bogey at the second has put him back to three-under.

The Swede probably has too much to do to force his way into contention for the title but he’s made the best possible start.

Aberg has birdied at both 1 and 2, taking him to five-under.

As for one of his Ryder Cup teammates, Jon Rahm, he is heading to the final two holes of his Masters tournament. He started at five-over but is back at level par. Can he finish with a flourish?

ISABEL BALDWIN AT AUGUSTA: Arduous Augusta National can reduce even the most elite golfers to meltdowns and on Sunday, it claimed Sergio Garcia as its latest victim, with the Spanish star officially reprimanded by Masters chiefs.

The patrons who had risen early to catch the action at Augusta likely weren’t expecting to see fireworks until deeper into Sunday’s final round of the Masters when Rory McIlroy and co. tee off.

But the fiery Spaniard delivered the theatrics early when spectacularly imploded just two holes into his final round at The Masters.

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RIATH AL-SAMARRAI AT AUGUSTA: If we felt the Rory McIlroy of 2026 was now beyond the concession of huge leads, then guilt ought to be pleaded to the charges of short memories and dopey thinking. From the impossibly large advantage of six strokes, the defending champion coughed up the lot to Cameron Young to tee up a final-round showdown we never expected at the Masters.

It remains to be seen if McIlroy can process the dramas that brought on such an unlikely scenario, but to avoid being reacquainted with old labels, he simply must. Tied on 11 under par with the exceptional American, it will be a formidable challenge if momentum comes into the equation.

A round of 73 was, by a distance, McIlroy’s worst of the week and littered with errors, the most savage of which coming in a chaotic rounding of Amen Corner.

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