World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler Leads Going Into Sunday at the Masters

A 1-under 71 was enough for the 2022 Masters champion to take a one-shot lead over Collin Morikawa on Moving Day at Augusta National.

Apr 13, 2024; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Scottie Scheffler tips his hat to patrons as he walks off the / Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Network

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The world No. 1 who came into the 88th Masters as a runaway favorite is 18 holes from a second green jacket.

Scottie Scheffler, the 2022 Masters champion, birdied the 18th Saturday to pull ahead by one shot over Collin Morikawa, a two-time major winner. The two will play in the final pair at 2:35 p.m. ET Sunday, closely chased by several players searching for a first major.

Scheffler began the day in a three-way tie for the lead and took the solo lead multiple times on Moving Day. He had to regroup after a stumble early on the second nine and played the last six holes in 3 under. He shot 1-under 71 for the round to get to 7 under for the tournament to lead Morikawa, who hit every fairway in a round of 3-under 69 that was the day’s second best score.

“Things got a little dicey there in the middle, but did a good job of staying patient,” said Scheffler, who came into the Masters on the heels of two wins in Florida including a second consecutive Players Championship.

Augusta National had plenty of teeth for a second straight day, albeit with somewhat calmer weather conditions than the windswept Friday which some players said made it the toughest round they had ever faced at the year’s first major. The moisture that delayed Thursday's opening round is long gone and the course played firm and fast.

Max Homa is in solo third at 5 under after a 1-over 73 that featured 17 pars and one bogey. Behind him are a number of players who will go to sleep Saturday night replaying some mistakes. 

Ludvig Aberg, the young Swedish star making his first major start, got to 6 under after a birdie at the 13th and had a share of the lead, but promptly made bogeys on the next two holes and got in at 4 under and three shots back. Nicolai Hojgaard bogeyed five straight holes from the 11th through the 15th after having a share of the lead. He’s in a group at 2 under along with Cam Davis and Xander Schauffele.

Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 U.S. Open champion who plays in the LIV Golf League, saw his hopes slide on the second nine but ended with a flourish. He failed to take advantage of the second-nine par-5s, three-putting the 13th for a par and making a double-bogey 7 at the 15th after chunking a pitch short into the water from 44 yards right of the hole.

He then three-putted the 16th for a bogey to fall to 2 under, but finished at 3 under after a holeout birdie from the 18th fairway following a pitch out from the woods. 

Bryson DeChambeau finishes with a bang. #themasters pic.twitter.com/I6zMUYB2MA

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 13, 2024

Chris Kirk had the low round of the day, a 4-under 68. Tiger Woods, one day after setting a Masters record with his 24th consecutive made cut, shot his worst score at Augusta National, a 10-over 82.