Sawt Falasteen - Scheffler clings to lead as back-nine Masters drama begins

Scheffler lofted his 89-yard second shot at the par-4 ninth hole onto the green and the ball rolled down a slope to within inches of the hole for a tap-in birdie that left him on top at 8-under after nine holes.

That was one stroke ahead of Sweden's Ludvig Aberg, making his major debut, and American Max Homa, seeking his first major win, with two-time major winner Collin Morikawa fourth on 5-under after a double-bogey at nine.

Augusta National's lightning-fast greens tested the world's top golfers over the famed 7,555-yard layout with the champion's green jacket and a record $3.6 million top prize at stake.

Scheffler, the 2022 Masters winner, blasted out of a greenside bunker to three feet and sank a birdie putt at the third hole, but went over the green at the par-3 fourth and missed a 14-foot par putt, a bogey dropping him to 7-under.

Scheffler found a greenside bunker at the seventh and blasted out to 11 feet but missed the par putt for a bogey that dropped him into a share of the lead with Aberg and Morikawa at 6-under.

His curvy second shot at the par-5 eighth went over the green but Scheffler pitched from 21 yards and sank a 10-foot birdie putt to return to 7-under, setting up his thrilling ninth hole.

Morikawa opened with seven pars before a birdie at the eighth, only to find pine straw and plunk two shots in a greenside bunker on the way to double-bogey.

Aberg sank a 22-foot birdie putt at the par-5 second and a four-footer for birdie at the seventh to reach 6-under.

At the ninth, the Swede curled in a 36-foot birdie putt, briefly sharing to lead after a front nine 33.

Aberg could become the first player to win the Masters in his debut since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 and the first player to win his major debut at Augusta National.

Homa made his first birdie in 34 holes at the par-5 second to reach 6-under.

Homa found trees left at the seventh and missed a seven-foot par putt, but a tap-in birdie at eight lifted him back to 6-under and a birdie at 10 put him one off the lead.

Scheffler, the oddsmakers' top choice, could match 15-time major champion Tiger Woods as the only players to win the Masters twice while atop the world rankings.

At 27, Scheffler would be the fourth-youngest multiple Masters winner after Woods, Jack Nicklaus and the late Seve Ballesteros.

Scheffler, who hasn't played a round over par since last August, would have the second-fewest Masters starts for any two-time winner with five. Only Horton Smith needed fewer by capturing two of the first three Augusta titles in the 1930s.

Morikawa, 27, chases another major after the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 British Open, and a Masters win would leave him seeking the career grand slam at June's US Open.

Only Nicklaus among those to win all four titles captured the first three legs of the career grand slam at a younger age than Morikawa should he triumph.

- Tiger eyes four majors -

Out of contention were second-ranked Rory McIlroy, third-ranked defending champion Jon Rahm and 15-time major winner Tiger Woods.

Four-time major winner McIlroy, who needs only a Masters victory to complete a career grand slam, fired a 73 to finish on 292.

Spaniard Rahm made two double-bogeys on the back nine and fired a 76 to finish on 297.

Woods, whose 10-over 82 on Saturday was his worst-ever Masters round, closed with a 77 to finish on 16-over 304, last among 60 players to make the cut.

The 48-year-old legend, who has struggled to walk 72 holes since suffering severe leg injuries in a 2021 car crash, said he was planning to play all four majors this year.

"I'm going to do my homework going forward at Pinehurst, Valhalla and Troon," Woods said. "Hopefully the next three my body will cooperate."

I.Yassin--SF-PST