AUGUSTA — Only one man could turn this Masters into a Sunday shootout, and he did it.
Rory McIlroy fired a 1-over 73 on Saturday after sleeping on a record six-shot 36-hole lead, allowing a host of players back into the tournament. To be sure, Cameron Young (65), Sam Burns (68), Shane Lowry (68), Jason Day (68) and Justin Rose (69) all did their jobs on Moving Day at Augusta National, but the leader’s stumble is what gives them hope for Sunday.
Co-leader Young and one-shot-back Burns, both multiple-time PGA Tour winners, are on the short list of best players without a major but can erase that label Sunday. That begs a topic for our on-site crew at Augusta to debate:
Fact or Fiction: This Masters Will Have a First-Time Major Champion
Bob Harig, SI Golf Senior Writer: FICTION. The belief here is that burden is too much when going against others who have done it. Rory McIlroy opened the door to several challengers, but even if he doesn’t get it done, Shane Lowry, Jason Day, Justin Rose and Scottie Scheffler are all major winners who have a chance to win.
John Pluym, SI.com Managing Editor: FICTION. I’m taking Rory and Scottie against the field. I would not be surprised to see Scottie shoot 65 again or Rory put up a 67 or better. And after Rory overcame last year’s roller-coaster final round, I like his chance. Tough to bet against Rory or Scottie. Cam Young and Sam Burns are lurking, but I’ll stick with the former Masters winners.
Jeff Ritter, SI Golf Managing Director: FICTION. Cam Young and Sam Burns were impressive on Saturday, and if they slip into a jacket Sunday, they’ll do so by overcoming a stacked leaderboard. I think odds now would favor major winners like McIlroy, Lowry, Rose and Scheffler over those two. But this thing really feels wide open. Sunday is going to be a blast.
Max Schreiber, SI Golf Contributor: FACT. At the beginning of this week I didn’t take Rory, feeling winning consecutive Masters was simply too tall a task. Then yesterday I said this will be a 2011 U.S. Open/2012 PGA Championship-esque runaway from the Northern Irishman. Well, here we are, time for another Freezing Cold Take. I think Cam Young will take the title, and McIlroy will ultimately have a final-round blunder that costs him the tournament. Therefore, it’ll be a first-time champion. .
John Schwarb, SI Golf Senior Editor: FACT. Cam Young bogeyed four of the first seven holes of this Masters but is 15 under since, and his 7-under 65 on Moving Day feels like a prelude to a green jacket. His triumph at Sawgrass last month answered the question of whether he could win a Big One, and now I say he stares down Rory McIlroy to win a Biggest One. As a bonus, my answer gets me a side of Sam Burns, who was also awfully impressive Saturday and is in a nice place to attack Sunday, starting one shot back from the second-to-last group. But my chips are on Young.
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