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5 Quick Observations From Day 4 At The Masters

patrick reed 2018 masters champion

It’s a wrap at the 82nd Masters Tournament. Sunday’s final round was one of the most anticipated in recent memory with a leaderboard that was almost too good to be true … and it delivered.

As a golf fan, it was all you could’ve asked for.

Here are 5 observations from one of the holiest days on the golf calendar.

Leaderboard: Patrick Reed (-15), Rickie Fowler (-14), Jordan Spieth (-13), Jon Rahm (-11), Cameron Smith (-9), Bubba Watson (-9), Henrik Stenson (-9), Rory McIlroy (-9)

1. Patrick Reed aka Captain America is a major champion

When Patrick Reed called himself a “top-5” player after his win at the 2014 WGC-Cadillac Championship we laughed. Now he’s got a green jacket and will forever be known as a Masters champion. Look who’s laughing now!

Reed held it together during a stressful Sunday at Augusta National posting a 71 (-1) good enough for a 1-shot victory over Rickie Fowler.

Every time Reed faltered with a bogey during the round (and there were 3 of them), he countered it with a birdie. The biggest of which was on the par-3 12th when he drained a 22-foot downhill swinger from the back of the green to erase a tough 3-putt on 11.

He added one more bird on 14 from 8-feet which broke a tie with Jordan Spieth and put him in front by one. Turns out, it was all he needed.

After a few more pars, Reed negotiated a nervy, downhill 25-foot birdie putt on 18 like a champ and knocked in the final putt with authority to lock up his first major.

His Ryder Cup legend continues to grow. He’s got a green jacket in his closet. Will this open up the floodgates? Shhhhhhh …. only time will tell.

Winning Notes:

  • Reed didn’t birdie any of the par-5s on Sunday, which was crazy considering he was -13 on them through 3 rounds.
  • He’s also the first man to finish runner-up at the PGA Championship (which was his best finish in a major) and then win the Masters since Jack Nicklaus did it in 1975.
  • This is Reed’s first PGA Tour victory since the 2016 Barclays.
  • The last 4 majors have been won by Americans 27 years of age or younger (Reed, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas).

2. Jordan Spieth was born to be in contention at the Masters

Spieth caught fire during the final round carding 9 birdies en route to a 64 (-8), tying the Masters record for lowest Sunday round ever. He even birdied the 12th hole on Sunday, which is his arch nemesis.

However a bogey on 18 where he failed to reach the fairway after clipping a tree (for the second time this week) doomed his chances for a second green jacket. He finished solo 3rd.

The 24-year-old is now the first player in Masters history to finish 3rd or better in four of his first five career starts. Think about that. T2, 1, T2, 11, 3. What?!

While you can talk about his stats all day long, one thing you can’t quantify is mental fortitude. The kid has it. His play is elevated by his positivity.

It’s almost as if Spieth was born under Hogan’s bridge, dipped in Rae’s Creek and his whole existence is to be in contention at Augusta National.

We wouldn’t be surprised if he had 4 green jackets by the time he’s 30 (that’s only 3 in the next 5 years!)

3. Rickie is due to win a major

Rickie Fowler made 6 birdies in his last 11 holes on Sunday, including one on 18 for a final round 67 (-5) to put the pressure on Patrick Reed. In the end, it was one shot short.

However, it was his best at the Masters since his T5 in 2014, the same year he finished T5 in all 4 majors. It’s also his 3rd top-5 in the last 5 majors.

But this one felt different. You could even hear it in his voice after the round. The man is ready. Don’t be surprised if Rickie breaks through soon, preferably at Shinnecock in June at the U.S. Open.

4. Rory’s proverbial monkey is growing

Rory McIlroy had a chance on Sunday to do what only 5 golfers have done before: complete the career grand slam (Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.)

Unfortunately, he almost shanked his drive of the first tee and was never able to recover.

Granted he made par, it was a metaphor for his day where he went on to post a pedestrian 74 (+2) to finish at -9 and in a tie for 5th. He only beat 4 guys the entire day! FOUR!

Yes, he still has 4 majors to his name, but the last one was at the 2014 PGA Championship … an unsettling amount of time for somebody with that kind of talent and horsepower.

This was Rory’s 4th shot now at the coveted green jacket … and his best since 2011. While he’s finished T10 or better the last 5 years, he can’t be happy.

Rory is a streaky player and when he’s hot, he might be the best golfer on the planet. But when he’s not, it’s frustrating to watch. The fact he can hit a Northern Irish mile but can’t make a 4-foot putt when it matters – like he did when he missed the eagle on 2 on Sunday – or simply find the green with a wedge is astounding.

No player has ever completed the grand slam after 3 tries. Next year will be Rory’s 5th. Clearly, he has the game, but does he have the mentality of what it takes to win at Augusta National? The monkey on his back continues to grow.

5. Tiger’s not there yet … but it’s getting closer

Tiger Woods played the weekend in his first major since 2015 and while he wasn’t in the mix down the stretch, he showed signs of life all week long. Hey, it’s a process!

His driver was better, still not great. His putting looked good although nothing really fell. His short game is still one of the best. But what was most surprising was how awful he was with his irons.

Statistically, he’s the best iron player to ever play the game. That wasn’t the case this week where he missed greens he could hit in his sleep on a normal day. He left himself short-sided, nearsided, really any sided. It was annoying.

However, he came out on Sunday in his traditional red shirt, hit 15 greens and fired a 69 (-3) … his first final round in the 60s at the Masters since 2011. He lipped out an ace on the par-3 4th and even made an eagle on 15, the first of 2018!

Considering this was his 6th start after spinal fusion surgery, a T32 finish is as successful as a blindly optimistic Tiger fan can hope for.

He’s healthy. The speed is there. The touch is there. It’s only a matter of time before he wins again … and we’re not just saying that.

Are you a golf nerd? Do you measure your game by height?

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