LIVE BLOG: Final Round Coverage of the 2021 Masters
Complete live Masters coverage throughout the day, including photos, live leaderboard and more.
Refresh this page throughout the day for live blog coverage of the 2021 Masters. The live leaderboard is available here, or under the live blog coverage below.
7:40 p.m. – Thanks For a Great Year!
We want to take a moment to thank everyone for an incredible Masters year. On behalf of all of our Beasley Media stations, and our sponsors and supporters, thank you for following along with us all weekend.
Congratulations to the 2021 Masters Champion, Hideki Matsuyama.
7:20 p.m. – Top 12 and Ties All Set
One of the best rewards for a good Masters tournament is that if you finish in the top 12, you get an automatic invitation to next year’s tournament. Here’s the list of golfers who are guaranteed to qualify for 2022.
- Hideki Matsuyama
- Will Zalatoris
- Jordan Spieth
- Xander Schauffele
- Jon Rahm
- Marc Leishman
- Justin Rose
- Patrick Reed
- Corey Conners
- Cameron Smith
- Tony Finau
- Webb Simpson
- Stewart Cink
- Kevin Na
- Si Woo Kim
- Robert MacIntyre
- Brian Harman
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7:05 p.m. – Matsuyama Wins the Green Jacket!
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 11: Hideki Matsuyama of Japan lines up a putt with his caddie, Shota Hayafuji on the 18th green during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 11, 2021 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Hideki Matsuyama has won the 2021 Masters. He’s the first Japanese-born player to ever win the tournament.
Matsuyama had a bogey on the final hole to finish at 10-under, one shot clear of rookie Will Zalatoris.
Matsuyama had a wobbly back nine, but managed to pull it together enough to get the win, thanks to some help in the wrong direction from Xander Schauffele. Schauffele gave back three key strokes on the 16th hole, after a string over four straight birdies.
See all the wonderful images from the final round at Augusta National here.
Hideki Matsuyama - 2021 Masters champion. #themasters
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 11, 2021
松山英樹-2021年マスターズチャンピオン pic.twitter.com/P3JDVW5RMt
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6:50 p.m. – Two-Shot Lead Heading Into 18
Barring a disaster on the 18th, Hideki Matsuyama is all set. He just parred the 17th hole and has a two-shot lead over Zalatoris heading into the final hole.
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6:40 p.m. – Another Escape
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 11: A general view of a leaderboard during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 11, 2021 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Hideki Matsuyama gave back another stroke with a bogey on 16. Fortunately for him, Xander Schauffele triple-bogeyed the hole and is now 7-under.
Will Zalatoris just took the clubhouse lead, finishing with a dramatic par on 18, to complete a round of 70. He’s the only golfer to finish under par in every round.
- Matsuyama | -11 | 16 | E
- Zalatoris | -9 | F | -2
- Schauffele | -7 | 16 | E
- Spieth | -7 | F | -2
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6:25 p.m. – And Uh Oh Again…
Xander Schauffele may have just given the tournament back to Hideki Matsuyama. One hole after narrowing the gap to two, Schaufeele hit his tee shot on 16 into the water.
Matsuyama just hit his safely on the far right side of the green.
Edit: Schauffele hit his second attempt at a tee shot over the green into the patrons. That should do it for him. Meanwhile, Will Zalatoris just shanked his tee shot on 18 into the bunker. That should leave things nice and wide open for Matsuyama.
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6:20 p.m. – Uh oh…
Hideki Matsuyama has made some trouble for himself. He soared his second shot on the par-5 15th over the green and into the water. That led to a bogey.
Meanwhile, his playing partner Xander Schauffele made a remarkable rescue from the green-side bunker and birdied the hole. Suddenly the lead is two strokes with just three holes to play.
- Matsuyama | -12 | 15 | -1
- Schauffele | -10 | 15 | -3
- Zalatoris | -9 | 17 | -2
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5:45 p.m. – Spieth Gaining Ground
Jordan Spieth is on the move up the leaderboard, finding himself now in a tie for third at 7-under, after back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14. He’s still six back of Matsuyama however.
Xander Schauffele just birdied 12 and 13 and is back to 8-under in second place. He’s 1-under on his round.
But it’s tough for both of them, as Matsuyama isn’t flinching much. He did bogey the 12th, but got it right back with a birdie on 13.
- Matsuyama | -13 | 13 | -2
- Schauffele | -8 | 13 | -1
- Spieth | -7 | 14 | -2
- Zalatoris | -7 | 14 | E
- Rahm | -6 | F | -6
- Rose | -6 | 13 | +1
5:20 p.m. – Get that Green Jacket Ready
It’s all over but the crying at this point. Unless Rae’s Creek comes out and destroys Hideki Matsuyama, the Green Jacket will be on his back in a couple hours.
Matsuyama’s lead is up to six now, as Will Zalatoris has another bogey and is at 7-under.
- Matsuyama | -13 | 11 | -2
- Zalatoris | -7 | 12 | E
- Rahm | -6 | F | -6
- Schauffele | -6 | 9 | +1
- Spieth | -6 | 13 | -1
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4:45 p.m. – Halfway Home, Matsuyama Back in Control
We are half way through the final round of the 2021 Masters for our final group, and Hideki Matsuyama is firmly in control.
Birdies on 2, 8 and 9 (offset by a bogey on 1) have Matsuyama at 13-under overall, with a five shot lead.
Any of the contenders who stood realistic chances at catching Matsuyama have mostly fallen apart. So much so that Jon Rahm is now tied for third at 6-under in the clubhouse, after a round of 66.
Will Zalatoris looks to be the only player with any shot at catching Matsuyama. He’s 8-under through 10, and 1-under on his round. He has three birdies on his round, but bogeys on 3 and 10 are making any movement a challenge.
- Matsuyama | -13 | 9 | -2
- Zalatoris | -8 | 10 | -1
- Rahm | -6 | F | -6
- Schauffele | -6 | 9 | +1
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3:45 p.m. – Contenders Seem to Be Dropping
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 11: Hideki Matsuyama of Japan plays a shot from a bunker on the second hole during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 11, 2021 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
While Hideki Matsuyama has settled and is even-par through 4, other contenders seem to be falling off the pace early.
Will Zalatoris was quite hot, but has cooled. He’s still 1-under through 6, sitting at 8-under.
Marc Leishman and Xander Schauffele are both 1-over on their rounds and 6-under overall.
Jon Rahm is having the round of the day at 5-under, but he’s still just 5-under on the tournament.
Corey Conners is 1-over and at 5-under. Justin Rose has lost his bloom and is 2-over through six holes and 5-under overall.
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3:05 p.m. – Augusta National Comes at You Fast
Be prepared for a lot of this today. But Will Zalatoris just gave one back with an ugly bogey on the third. He’s now two shots back.
Corey Conners had a birdie on 2 and is now 7-under and tied for third.
Marc Leishman and Justin Rose both birdied 2 after their bogeys on the first, to get back to 7-under.
And right on command, Matsuyama just got his lost stroke back with a birdie on 2. His lead is back to three shots. Whew, lots to keep up with here.
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2:50 p.m. – Zalatoris Charging
Will Zalatoris is doing his best to make sure no lead is safe. He’s got birdies on both his opening holes and is now 9-under, just two shots back of the lead.
Marc Leishman and Justin Rose… well they are going the wrong way after bogeys on their first holes.
Jordan Spieth went bogey-birdie-par and is hanging around at 5-under. And as we speak, Hideki Matsuyama has bogeyed the first hole and his lead is down to just one shot. Matsuyama put his drive in the trees right of the opening fairway and had to scramble to salvage the bogey.
Buckle up folks.
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2:30 p.m. – It’s Go Time!
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 11: Will Zalatoris of the United States plays his shot from the first tee during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 11, 2021 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Six golfers are at 6-under or better at the top of the leaderboard, and they’re all on the course now. It’s going to be an interesting afternoon with fairly respectable scoring conditions (certainly not to the level of November’s).
Will Zalatoris already has a birdie on the first and is three shots back of Hideki Matsuyama.
Jon Rahm also continues his hot start. He’s 4-under through 8 holes, trying to get back into contention.
Let’s see how it goes!
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1:05 p.m. – Jon Rahm Starts Strong
Entering the day 11 shots back of Matsuyama up top, Jon Rahm didn’t have much to lose. And so far he’s making the most of it.
A birdie on the first was followed by a fantastic second shot onto the green at the par-5 second hole. He followed that with a nice eagle putt and is now at 3-under for the day and the tournament, tied for ninth overall.
The players who ended the third round under par are now starting to make their way onto the course for the final round. Justin Thomas and Cameron Smith just hit their opening drives, with Ryan Palmer and Viktor Hovland on deck.
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1 p.m. – Adam Scott Brightens His Day
Adam Scott wasn’t likely to contend for the championship today, but he certainly wanted to put a good score on his card.
Unfortunately, bogeys on 1, 4, 7, 8 and 11 didn’t help that. This great birdie from off the green at 12 certainly helped though!
Scott is currenly 11-over for the tournament, in 54th place – last among the golfers who made the weekend.
Adam Scott holes a long birdie putt from off the green at No. 12. #themasters pic.twitter.com/oEqove03rW
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 11, 2021
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12:30 p.m. – A Look At The Morning Images
Here’s a look at some of the best images from the morning rounds underway so far on Championship Sunday at Augusta National.
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11:30 a.m. – A Moving Tribute from Augusta National
The team at Augusta National put together a powerful tribute to local healthcare heroes. You really need to see this.
To honor those who have given so much this past year, Augusta National invited local healthcare heroes to enjoy this year’s Masters. #themasters pic.twitter.com/sAXrHz73QG
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 11, 2021
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10:45 a.m. – Where Things Stand
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 10: A general view of the leaderboard on the 18th green during the third round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 10, 2021 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The golfers on the course now are mostly out of contention, barring something quite dramatic, and likely record-breaking. So let’s take a look at what we can expect as the afternoon approaches.
Hideki Matsuyama is the overwhelming favorite as he holds a four stroke lead at 11-under heading into his final round. But this is Augusta National, and Sunday at the Masters is never a guarantee. We all remember Greg Norman in 1996, who led by SIX strokes and came out to shoot a 78 in the final round and lost.
There are certainly some contenders on the leaderboard who have the ability to shoot low scores, and make things interesting for Matsuyama.
Xander Schauffele, Marc Leishman, Justin Rose and Will Zalatoris all are tied at 7-under. Of those, Zalatoris has all three rounds under par in the tournament. Rose, obviously, shot a monster 65 in the first round.
Just behind that group lies Corey Conners, who had a hole-in-one on 6 yesterday, and is capable of big things. And right behind him is the always dangerous Jordan Spieth at 5-under. Spieth wobbled a little yesterday to shoot even par, but has proven lately that he can make birdies.
What do you think? Who is most likely to come away with the Green Jacket this afternoon?
9:40 a.m. – Welcome to Championship Sunday
Today is the day (weather permitting anyway). We will have a new Masters champion in just a few hours. After an amazing first three days, our golfers are preparing to head to the course, with some of the most classic pin locations in tournament golf history.
Here’s the groupings and tee times for today. We’ll have complete coverage all day, of what is sure to be a wild day with a crowded field.
- 10:00 a.m. – Jim Herman, Adam Scott
- 10:10 a.m. – Brendon Todd, Jose Maria Olazabal
- 10:20 a.m. – Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Gary Woodland
- 10:30 a.m. – Paul Casey, Billy Horschel
- 10:40 a.m. – Abraham Ancer, Michael Thompson
- 10:50 a.m. – Ian Poulter, Tyrrell Hatton
- 11:00 a.m. – Harris English, Bryson DeChambeau
- 11:10 a.m. – Jason Kokrak, Louis Oosthuizen
- 11:20 a.m. – Cameron Champ, Sebastian Munoz
- 11:40 a.m. – Matt Jones, Collin Morikawa
- 11:50 a.m. – Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood
- 12:00 p.m. – Martin Laird, Bubba Watson
- 12:10 p.m. – Matt Wallace, Charl Schwartzel
- 12:20 p.m. – Shane Lowry, Mackenzie Hughes
- 12:30 p.m. – Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm
- 12:40 p.m. – Webb Simpson, Joaquin Niemann
- 12:50 p.m. – Phil Mickelson, Francesco Molinari
- 1:00 p.m. – Cameron Smith, Justin Thomas
- 1:20 p.m. – Viktor Hovland, Ryan Palmer
- 1:30 p.m. – Henrik Stenson, Stewart Cink
- 1:40 p.m. – Patrick Reed, Kevin Na
- 1:50 p.m. – Si Woo Kim, Bernd Wiesberger
- 2:00 p.m. – Tony Finau, Robert MacIntyre
- 2:10 p.m. – Jordan Spieth, Brian Harman
- 2:20 p.m. – Will Zalatoris, Corey Conners
- 2:30 p.m. – Marc Leishman, Justin Rose
- 2:40 p.m. – Hideki Matsuyama, Xander Schauffele
Hole locations for the final round. #themasters pic.twitter.com/UNEku8Ro1G
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 11, 2021
Additional Coverage
A special thanks to our friends at Augusta National Golf Club.
