McIlroy Gains Ground Early On Masters Leader Reed

Augusta, United States, April 8 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Apr, 2018 ) :Patrick Reed's three-shot Masters lead over Rory McIlroy had dwindled to one after just two holes of the final round at Augusta National on Sunday.

Reed, chasing his first major title, opened with a bogey at the par-4 first hole, where four-time major-winner McIlroy salvaged a par after sending his tee shot to the far right. Northern Ireland star McIlroy, who can become just the sixth player to complete a career Grand Slam with a Masters victory, pulled within one stroke of Reed with a birdie at the par-5 second that moved him to 12-under.

He was two strokes in front of world number three Jon Rahm of Spain, who birdied the second and third to move to 10-under for the tournament. American Rickie Fowler opened with three successive pars and was nine-under, one stroke in front of 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth and former British Open winner Henrik Stenson of Sweden.

Spieth had three birdies in his first five holes to climb the leaderboard on an Augusta course where in addition to winning he has twice finished in second. The leaders were just getting underway when 14-time major champion Tiger Woods, playing his first Masters since 2015, was putting the finishing touches on a 3-under par 69 that gave him a 1-over par total of 289 for the week.

After a frustrating first three days, Woods went into the last round 4-over and aiming to get back to even par for the tournament. He came close, a birdie at 17 putting him at level par before he bogeyed the last. Woods remains without a major title since he won the 2008 US Open. He won the last of his four Masters titles in 2005.