AUGUSTA, Ga. — whos winning the masters is the question hanging over Augusta after Cameron Young and Rory McIlroy finished Saturday tied at 11 under. McIlroy squandered a record six-shot lead with a 1-over 73 in the third round, while Young surged with a 65 to set up a late tee time Sunday. The final round is expected to be played with nine golfers still within five shots of the lead.
McIlroy slips, Young surges into the spotlight
McIlroy entered Saturday with a record six-shot, 36-hole lead, but his third round unraveled at No. 12 and changed the entire shape of the tournament. Young, meanwhile, delivered the round of the day among the leaders and moved into a share of the top spot in a field that suddenly looks crowded and volatile.
Young is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour and is still chasing his first major title. At Augusta National, he has shown enough comfort to make this a real Sunday test, with six top-10 finishes in majors over the last four seasons, including two at Augusta. That experience matters because whos winning the masters now appears wide open rather than settled.
Why Young says Sunday will not intimidate him
Young made clear after his recent win at The Players Championship that he had built his early-season preparation around being in this position. He said he wanted to be ready for a late Sunday tee time at Augusta, and now that moment has arrived.
He has also carried confidence from match play and pressure situations. He beat Justin Rose in Ryder Cup singles at Bethpage, then later beat Matt Fitzpatrick at TPC Sawgrass after a decisive birdie on the 17th and a 375-yard drive over the water on the 18th. Those moments have only hardened the sense that whos winning the masters will be decided by execution, not reputation.
McIlroy still controls part of the story
McIlroy is still tied for the best score going into Sunday and made clear that he knows the chase is not finished. He said there are a lot of players still in with a chance and that he will need to be better if he wants to win.
He also said he hopes to play a little freer in the final round, like he has already won a green jacket. That mindset could matter, because the defending champion remains central to the answer to whos winning the masters even after Saturday’s slide.
What Sunday could bring in Augusta
The picture is simple and tense: Young brings momentum, McIlroy brings championship pedigree, and nine players remain close enough to alter the finish. The final round begins with both leaders sharing the stage, and the pressure now shifts from Saturday’s swings to Sunday’s closing stretch.
For now, whos winning the masters cannot be answered with certainty. The best answer is that Young and McIlroy are dead even, and Augusta is heading into a final round built for drama.
