Augusta, Ga. — Record scores on the white boards at Augusta National. Ground-shaking roars for Tiger Woods along the back nine.
Francesco Molinari blocked out the buzz on a delirious day of nine players sharing space atop the leaderboard Saturday. He emerged with another rock-solid round that looked spectacular only on his scorecard.
Molinari ran off four straight birdies on the back nine for a 6-under 66 that kept Woods and everyone else at a short arm’s length going into a Sunday unlike any other at the Masters — an early start because of storms forecast for Sunday afternoon, with threesomes going off the first and 10th tees. The leaders were to tee off at 9:20 a.m.
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How to watch round 4 of the 2019 Masters Tournament
- What: The final round of the 2019 Masters Tournament
- When: April 14
- Where: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
- TV channels: CBS, with live coverage starting at 9 a.m. ET
- Online: Early live coverage on Masters.com
- Live leaderboard: CBS Sports
Live coverage on TV and online
The tweaked Sunday format puts Woods in the final group at the Masters for the first time in 12 years, two shots behind. Woods has won all 14 of his majors when he had at least a share of the lead going into the final round. He brings momentum to this major, having contended in the last two.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been in contention here,” Woods said. “But then again, the last two majors count for something. I’ve been in the mix with a chance to win major championships in the last two years, and so that helps.”
Molinari played with Woods on the final day at Carnoustie last summer and outplayed the 14-time major champion amid a crowded leaderboard to win the British Open.
This is different.
This is Augusta National, where the gallery that cheered louder with each birdie by Woods made it clear they were aching to see the four-time champion slip a green jacket over a red shirt for the first time since 2005.
“He obviously loves this place, and he’s playing great golf,” Molinari said. “So I’m aware that it’s not going to be easy tomorrow and, like I said, I can just do my best.”
Woods has not played in the final group at a major since he gave up a two-shot lead to Y.E. Yang at Hazeltine in the 2009 PGA Championship
He got there Saturday with three straight birdies on the front and finished with three birdies over his last six holes for a 67, his best score at the Masters since the final round in 2011.
Joining them will be Tony Finau, playing this year on two good ankles after a self-inflicted injury a year ago. He was part of a history-making Saturday as one of three players to shoot 64.
Tee times and groupings
1st tee
- 7:30 a.m.: Aaron Wise, Marc Leishman, Si Woo Kim
- 7:41 a.m.: Matthew Fitzpatrick, Kevin Tway, Patton Kizzire
- 7:52 p.m.: Henrik Stenson, Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Smith
- 8:03 a.m.: Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood, Corey Conners
- 8:14 a.m.: Jason Day, Bubba Watson, Lucas Bjerregaard
- 8:25 a.m.: Justin Thomas, Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm
- 8:36 a.m.: Adam Scott, Patrick Cantlay, Thorbjorn Olesen
- 8:47 a.m.: Louis Oosthuizen, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler
- 8:58 a.m.: Matt Kuchar, Justin Harding, Xander Schauffele
- 9:09 a.m.: Brooks Koepka, Webb Simpson, Ian Poulter
- 9:20 a.m.: Francesco Molinari, Tony Finau, Tiger Woods
10th tee
- 7:30 a.m.: Kyle Stanley, Viktor Hovland, Charley Hoffman
- 7:41 a.m.: Kevin Kisner, Bryson DeChambeau, Takumi Kanaya
- 7:52 p.m.: Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Gary Woodland
- 8:03 a.m.: Jimmy Walker, J. B. Holmes, Charles Howell III
- 8:14 a.m.: Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Kevin Na, Alvaro Ortiz
- 8:25 a.m.: Patrick Reed, Devon Bling, Keith Mitchell
- 8:36 a.m.: Tyrrell Hatton Satoshi Kodaira, Andrew Landry
- 8:47 a.m.: Bernhard Langer, Rafael Cabrera Bello, Eddie Pepperell
- 8:58 a.m.: Branden Grace, Martin Kaymer, Haotong Li
- 9:09 a.m.: Emiliano Grillo, Zach Johnson, Billy Horschel
- 9:20 a.m.: Trevor Immelman, Alex Noren
