Cameron Young surges atop the Masters leaderboard in a final round that’s set for drama

By Kyle Feldscher, CNN

(CNN) — The old saying about the Masters is that the tournament doesn’t truly begin until the back nine on Sunday.

That might never be truer than this 2026 edition, and Sunday afternoon has already seen movement atop the leaderboard.

American Cameron Young has the lead after a birdie on the second hole gave him a one-stroke lead over Rory McIlroy, who is aiming to rebound after a difficult Saturday.

What once looked like McIlroy’s romp to a repeat has turned into one of the most wide-open final rounds in years as 11 players started the afternoon within five shots of the lead. Given Augusta National’s penchant for giving up low scores this week, and its historic habit of devouring potential champions on the final day, a potentially classic day is teeing off in eastern Georgia.

McIlroy started the day looking to reclaim the momentum he had on Thursday and Friday that saw him build the biggest halfway lead in tournament history. But it’s Young with the wind at his back after his 7-under 65 on Saturday earned him a share of the lead.

He now holds that lead outright – but there’s still a lot of golf to be played.

There has already been movement up and down the leaderboard on Sunday, reflecting the high stakes of the final round’s play. American Sam Burns who joined the leaderboard for a hole after a birdie on the first. A double-bogey on the second and another bogey on the third dropped him back into the pack of chasers.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has started strong and is lurking just behind the leaders.

Both men who started the day in the top spot said they’re aiming to weather the storm.

Young said Saturday that he’s feeling as comfortable with his game as he has in years.

“It started with some really small things, and now I feel just much more comfortable, I would say, than before, Young told reporters. “It’s hard to say exactly what it is, but I feel like it’s just been very small things over the course of the last year or so that have just built up some steam. I feel very comfortable with my game.”

McIlroy has spoke all week about the comfort he feels knowing that the weight on his shoulders — the career grand slam and a first Masters title — was removed last year. But the erasure of his six-shot lead on Saturday brought back some difficult memories in the minds of his fans, if not in the Northern Irishman himself.

“I’d like to think that I’ll play a little bit freer and I’ll play, you know, like I’ve already got a green jacket, which I do. Sometimes I maybe just have to remind myself of that, but I think as well that the stakes in terms of, like, the pairing will be just a little bit easier. You know, the atmosphere out there will be a little bit easier,” McIlroy said Saturday of what he expects from the final round.

“Yeah, I’m not worried about that at all. I wish I was a few shots better off, but I’m comfortable.”

The difference between feeling comfortable and being comfortable on the scoreboard is often what defines the mindset of a Masters champion. And if McIlroy and Young, both at 11-under for the tournament, look too long at the names behind them on the leaderboard, they might feel some of that comfort slipping away.

Burns, Scheffler, Shane Lowry, Jason Day, Justin Rose, Li Haotong, Patrick Reed, Russell Henley and Patrick Cantlay were the main threats all chasing the leaders as the day began.

If any of those players get hot and drop a low score on Sunday, the pressure on McIlroy and Young will only grow. The roars of the patrons echo around Augusta and it’s hard to ignore what other players are doing when the big charges come. The leaders will not be in any doubt if one of their competitors is suddenly nipping at their heels — or grabbing the lead themselves.

“It’s not easy to go out and go after it when you’re at the top of the leaderboard,” Lowry said Saturday. “Not that it’s easy to do it. But when you’re down the field and you’re just having a go at it, it makes it a little bit easier and you can play a bit more freely. When you are out there in the hunt you need to be a little bit more protective of what you are doing.”

The best players find another level on these kinds of days, Scheffler said.

“That’s what great players and great competitors do is they’re able to rise to the occasion. I think when you look at the biggest tournaments, you’d be hard-pressed to find another tournament that’s bigger than this one, especially for myself,” he said.

“When you come here, I think that’s why it’s such a great test too, because not only do you have to conquer this golf course, you have to conquer changing conditions, a difficult country club golf course, but you also have to conquer your nerves as well to get it done around here.”

This is a breaking story and is being updated.

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