It’s the last round the Masters on Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. Players have been on the course since the early morning, and the leaders are filtering through as the afternoon continues.

Masters updates on Sunday

All times are Eastern:

6:36 p.m.: Patrick Reed sinks a par putt to take home the green jacket. Hell of a round for him, finishing 15-under.

6:31 p.m.: Rickie Fowler finishes his round with a birdie on 18 to move him to 14-under, one back from Patrick Reed. Unless Reed royally messes up on 18, the green jacket is his.

6:00 p.m.: Jordan Spieth has had a lightning back nine, par on 14, then came to back-to-back birdies on 15 and 16 before a par on 17. Hole 18 might have cost him the green jacket — he bogeyed after missing a putt for par that was just off the mark. He couldn’t even believe he missed it:

A few things just happened. Spieth missed this putt for par on 18 and had to settle for bogey to close out his round at -8. he now is 2 strokes back of Reed. We’ll be keeping our eyes on reed as he is just now teeing off on 16 at #themasters pic.twitter.com/xNZu4xWF1E — Kappa Sigma CMU (@CMUKappaSigma) April 8, 2018

The problem for Spieth happened on his tee shot — he hit the top of the trees which made it go way short, a whole 267 yards to the hole.

Had his tee shot gone further, he could have potentially made birdie, but was set up nicely for par regardless.

4:42 p.m: WELL. Things are getting fun y’all. Remember Jordan Spieth’s past demons at the par-3 12th? Those are gone now. He just dropped home a MASSIVE putt from off the green there to get to 11-under. He’s now just three behind Patrick Reed, and we’re hunting history — both the course record and record for biggest comeback ever are in play.

Oh, hey, we’ve also got our first ace of the week. Chuck Hoffman on 16!

4:20 p.m.: Jordan Spieth and Jon Rahm remain tied for third at 10-under. Patrick Reed moves back to 14-under after a birdie on hole seven. Rory McIlroy is still at 11-under.

4:02 p.m.: Rory McIlroy moves to two back behind Patrick Reed, who is at 13-under. Meanwhile Jordan Spieth is coming alive with birdies on 8 and 9 to move to 10-under — joining him with a birdie on 7 is Rickie Fowler. This last round should be fun, folks!

3:45 p.m.: Patrick Reed is at 14-under with Rory McIlroy two strokes back at 12-under. Jon Rahm moves to third at 9-under, with Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth tied for fourth at 8-under. Pal Casey continues to dominate the back nine, and he’s tied for sixth at 7-under.

3:25p.m.: Patrick Reed sinks a birdie putt on three to move to 14-under. Rory McIlroy goes back to 11-under after a bogey on three. back to where we started, folks! Paul Casey is having a heck of a round, and he moves to 8-under after three birdies and an eagle on holes 11-14.

3:07 p.m.: Rory McIlroy makes birdie on two to move to 12-under, just one back. Patrick Reed has to settle for par after missing a birdie putt. Jon Rahm and Rickie Fowler are both tied for third at 9-under through two.

Masters 2018 leaderboard

Live updates are here.

How to watch

Online:

10:45 a.m.-7 p.m.: Featured groups

Featured groups 11 a.m.-1 p.m.: On the Range

On the Range 12 p.m.-6 p.m.: Amen Corner (parts of holes 11, 12, and 13)

Amen Corner (parts of holes 11, 12, and 13) 1 p.m.-6:30 p.m.: Holes No. 15 and 16

Holes No. 15 and 16 2 p.m.-7 p.m.: CBS broadcast feet

CBS broadcast feet 7 p.m., approximately: Green Jacket ceremony

TV:

Time: 2-7 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Live stream: Masters.com , fuboTV

CBS Sports Network will also televise the Masters driving range show, Masters on the Range, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET.

Earlier updates

2:55 p.m.: Rory McIlroy with a huge save after a bad tee shot on one. He sinks the putt to make par. Patrick Reed bogeys on the same hole. Henrik Stenson is making a run so far at 8-under, birdieing one one and making par on two. He’s in a good spot for three, too.

2:41 p.m.: Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy are teeing off — Reed’s goes a little left but Rory’s went way right — looked about 80 yards off. Yeesh. Also, Bubba Watson putted...into a bunker on hole two, whoops.

This has to be the first time I've ever seen someone putt the ball into a bunker. #TheMasters #BubbaWatson pic.twitter.com/Auxv1Gannb — Eric Fawcett (@Efawcett7) April 8, 2018

2:30 p.m.: Jordan Spieth with a birdie on hole one, and he just misses a putt for eagle on two. He settles for birdie to go to at 7-under. His partner Justin Thomas is at 5-under. Rickie Fowler and John Ram have both teed off. Tiger Woods is at 1-under on the day through 14, with a nice birdie on 13. He then eagles 15 beautifully!

.@TigerWoods records his first eagle of the Tournament on No. 15 in the final round of #themasters. pic.twitter.com/ykAqxyNo7F — Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 8, 2018

Tiger is now T-30, and one shot ahead of Phil. 3 under on the round and 1 over for the tournament. #themasters — Tiger Tracker (@GCTigerTracker) April 8, 2018

2:00 p.m.: Some of the bigger leaders are now teeing off, folks! Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas have just hit their first shot. Bubba Watson and Marc Leishman are up next at 2:20, followed by Henrik Stenson and Tommy Fleetwood at 2:20, Rickie Fowler and Jon Rahm at 2:30, and Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy at 2:40.

1:15 p.m.: Tiger Woods finishes his first nine at even. Not as strong as he started with the early holes, but a much better start than his last few days. Rafael Cabrera Bello is 2-under today, and Paul Casey has started out strong, now at even through five holes. The biggest names, including Patrick Reed, Rory McIlroy, RIckie Fowler, Jon Rahm, and Henrik Stenson all tee off at 2:30 and 2:40. Check out this birdie from Adam Scott from the bunker on four!

Bunker brilliance from Adam Scott.pic.twitter.com/GcxUijsMUG — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 8, 2018

He’s 1-over on the tournament.

12:40 p.m.: All’s still relatively quiet before the leaders tee off this afternoon. Haotong Li is even on the day early in his round, and Tiger Woods is still 1-under with a chance for birdie on hole seven coming.

12:00 p.m.: Phew! Tiger Woods nearly got a hole-in-one on the Par 3 fourth hole, but it just missed the hole. He makes birdie on the putt to move to 1-under on the day.

Tiger nearly hit a hole-in-one on No. 4. the ball lipped the hole, just missed the flag. pic.twitter.com/4LmsqUYq8l — Cork Gaines (@CorkGaines) April 8, 2018

11:40 a.m.: Phil Mickelson, who is +6 overall on the tournament has started his Sunday off well — he birdied holes two, three, and four, so he’s 3-under today so far.

Three straight birdies from Phil!



No better way to start a Sunday at Augusta.pic.twitter.com/Cb8KdsS0jp — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 8, 2018

11:22 a.m.: The first group of golfers have teed off. Among the biggest names include Tiger Woods, who’s wearing his signature red and black outfit for Sunday. Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, and Ian Poulter have started their rounds as well.

It happened. I have more pull than I thought I had. pic.twitter.com/TjJrVKHTsA — Tiger Tracker (@GCTigerTracker) April 8, 2018

Tee Times

All times, again, are Eastern:

10 a.m.: Vijay Singh

10:10 a.m.: Ian Poulter and Brian Harman

10:20 a.m.: Chez Reavie and Phil Mickelson

10:30 a.m.: Tyrrell Hatton and Doug Ghim (A)

10:40 a.m.: Martin Kaymer and Kyle Stanley

10:50 a.m.: Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Xander Schauffele

11 a.m.: Bryson DeChambeau and Branden Grace

11:10 a.m.: Rafael Cabrera Bello and Tiger Woods

11:20 a.m.: Bernhard Langer and Fred Couples

11:40 a.m.: Zach Johnson and Webb Simpson

11:50 a.m.: Ryan Moore and Jhonattan Vegas

12 p.m.: Adam Scott and Daniel Berger

12:10 p.m.: Haotong Li and Paul Casey

12:20 p.m.: Adam Hadwin and Hideki Matsuyama

12:30 p.m.: Satoshi Kodaira and Russell Henley

12:40 p.m.: Kevin Kisner and Francesco Molinari

12:50 p.m.: Matthew Fitzpatrick and Si Woo Kim

1 p.m.: Charley Hoffman and Tony Finau

1:20 p.m.: Jimmy Walker and Matt Kuchar

1:30 p.m.: Jason Day and Bernd Wiesberger

1:40 p.m.: Justin Rose and Louis Oosthuizen

1:50 p.m.: Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith

2 p.m.: Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth

2:10 p.m.: Bubba Watson and Marc Leishman

2:20 p.m.: Henrik Stenson and Tommy Fleetwood

2:30 p.m.: Rickie Fowler and Jon Rahm

2:40 p.m.: Patrick Reed and Rory McIlroy

Hole Locations for Sunday</s>
• Patrick Reed won the Masters, holding off challenges from some of golf's biggest names.
• Reed won the green jacket, but will also take home nearly $2 million.
• The Masters' purse overall is $11.0 million, second only to the U.S. Open.

Patrick Reed won the Masters, holding off challenges from some of golf's biggest names.

Winning The Masters is one of the most prestigious achievements in golf. The winner gets the iconic green jacket, cements himself in the annals of sporting history forever — and takes home quite a bit of money as well.

This year, Patrick Reed took home $1.98 million for coming in first place at the tournament.

To put that in perspective, that is more than he won in his first 12 events of the year, where he won $1.47 million, combined. Also. his $3.5 million in earnings this season on the PGA Tour is already more than he won in 29 events last season ($3.1 million).

Overall, the Masters' total purse is a whopping $11 million, second only to the U.S. Open regarding prize money among golf majors.

Here's what the purse for each of the four majors will be in the 2017-18 PGA Tours season, according to the PGA Tour:

And here's what the overall winner of each major took home in individual prize money during the previous PGA Tour season:

Of the non-major tournaments, The Players Championship had the highest purse in 2017, at $10.5 million.
• Golf's newest major champion has a complicated past that has already made him one of the sport's most controversial figures
• Meet Patrick Reed, the controversial Masters champion whose wife was his caddy and who hasn't talked to his family in 6 years
• Patrick Reed did not wear his signature color at the Masters and he likely won't be allowed to wear it at the majors anytime soon
• Unlikely Masters winner Patrick Reed credits his success to listening to a specific song before play — and it holds an important lesson on peak performance
• Patrick Reed more than doubled his season money total by winning the Masters</s>Non-Crowd Favorite Patrick Reed Holds Off Rickie Fowler To Win The Masters

Golfer Patrick Reed was best known for the trophies he shared at the Presidents and Ryder Cup . It's for his performance at the latter that he picked up the nickname "Captain America."

But all that changed on Sunday when Reed, 27, won his first major championship at the Masters in Augusta, Ga. Reed is the fourth consecutive Masters champion to capture his first major at that tournament.

On the 18th hole, Reed finished with a 1-under 71 to hold off challenger Rickie Fowler. For Fowler, it was his eighth top-five finish in a major championship and third as runner-up. He's still waiting to celebrate his first major title win.

From the beginning of play at Augusta National, it was clear that Reed, who's originally from Texas, was not the crowd favorite. He picked up on that when he and four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, who's from Northern Ireland, were announced on the tee box — McIlroy got a noticeably louder ovation.

ESPN reports it's understandable why the fans didn't want Reed to win:

"It was never going to be pretty with Patrick Reed, the golfer who collected more enemies than most on his stormy rise from boyhood prodigy to college bad boy to self-promoting PGA Tour winner to master of the Masters. Reed was kicked off his University of Georgia team, and nearly voted off his Augusta State team by his schoolmates, for offenses that ranged from alcohol-fueled misbehavior to an arrest for underage drinking and constantly talking down to lesser teammates, as well as alleged cheating infractions. His coach at Augusta State, Josh Gregory, suspended him and warned him that his entire career was about to go up in smoke."

Reed's parents live in Augusta but they weren't at the tournament and it is reported that they weren't at their son's wedding in 2012. Despite the estrangement, Golf.com reports Reed's mom Jeannette and dad Bill hosted a Masters party.

"The Reeds lived and died with every shot on the back nine, hooting and hollering at the TV. When the final putt dropped, they clung to each other like survivors in a life raft. Struggling to catch her breath, tears streaming down her cheeks, Jeannette said, "I can't believe my son is the Masters champion. It's surreal." It was a dizzying mix of pride and pain."

Reed won't discuss his family situtation. When asked about it after his Masters victory, Reed told reporters, "I'm just out here to play golf and try to win golf tournaments."</s>(AP Photo/Matt Slocum). Marc Leishman, of Australia, reacts after his putt on the second hole during the second round at the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 6, 2018, in Augusta, Ga.

(AP Photo/David Goldman). Marc Leishman, of Australia, shoots around a tree on the 17th hole during the second round at the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 6, 2018, in Augusta, Ga.

(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel). Patrick Reed hits to the 13th green during the second round at the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 6, 2018, in Augusta, Ga.

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip). Patrick Reed chips to the 18th hole during the second round at the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 6, 2018, in Augusta, Ga.

(AP Photo/Charlie Riedel). Patrick Reed catches a ball in the 17th green during the second round at the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 6, 2018, in Augusta, Ga.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - Patrick Reed is halfway home to his first major championship.

He got there by mostly staying out of trouble at daunting Augusta National and mastering the four par 5s.

Reed shot a 6-under 66 in the second round Friday and moved to 9-under 135 for the tournament. He takes a two-shot lead over Marc Leishman into Saturday's third round, which could be affected by rain.

Forecasts call for steady showers all day, the kind of weather that should soften up what had become a hard and fast test.

The way Reed has played, it's doubtful even Mother Nature can slow him down.

"I believe if I play the golf I know how to play, I can win majors," said Reed, a 27-year-old Texan who ended his college career 3 miles down the road at Augusta State. "I need to stick to my game plan."

Reed and Leishman will be the final pairing Saturday, scheduled to tee off at 2:30 p.m.

Reed grabbed the lead thanks mostly to being the only player in the field to birdie all eight par 5s in the first two rounds. He also needed just 51 putts through 36 holes.

"I kept myself out of trouble and allowed my putter to do the work," Reed said.

Leishman kept it close. He boldly took on a high risk when he hooked a hooded 5-iron around the trees and barely over the water on the par-5 15th to about 6 feet for an eagle that got him to 7 under.

Right behind them? Five major champions, for starters.

Henrik Stenson (70) was four shots behind. Rory McIlroy (71) is off to his best 36-hole start in seven years and is looking as poised as ever to capture the fourth leg of the career Grand Slam. Jordan Spieth lost his two-shot lead on the first hole and was on the verge of getting left behind until he made a key par putt to close out the front nine with a 40, and then salvaged a 74 to join McIlroy just five shots behind.

Looming is Dustin Johnson, the No. 1 player in the world, who made a 45-foot par putt on the 16th to atone for several birdie putts in the 10-foot range he missed. Johnson had a 68 and was six shots behind, along with PGA champion Justin Thomas, who had a 67.

Eleven of the 17 players still under par at the halfway point can be found among the top 20 in the world.

They're all chasing Reed, and probably need to play the longest holes well to even keep pace.

"The par 5s are huge around here to be able to pick up ground on," Reed said. "You're not going to shoot a low score if you don't."

Some other things to know heading into Saturday's third round:

Tiger Woods made the cut at his first Masters in three years. He has some mixed feelings about where he's at.

He shot a three-over 75 in the second round and is 4 over heading into the weekend. The 75 matched his second-worst score at the Masters and left him 13 shots off the lead.

Woods struggled with distance control Friday in difficult conditions and lamented a number of close misses on greens.

He said he didn't hit his irons very good at all, adding that he "didn't control distances, shapes or anything."

Still, Woods was mostly pleased with how he's played in his first major since the 2015 PGA Championship.

"Six months ago, I didn't know if I was going to play again. It's incredible. Just so thankful have this opportunity to be able to play golf again."

Woods knows he needs a "special weekend" and some help to get back in contention.

Fred Couples, 58, Bernard Langer, 60, and Vijay Singh, 55 - three guys who play the PGA Tour Champions - proved it pays off to know your way around Augusta National.

All three of them shot 2 over in the second round and made the cut at golf's first major.

Couples is 11 shots off Reed's pace heading into the weekend. Langer is 13 back, and Singh is 10 behind.

Couples made the cut at the Masters for the 30th time, tying Gary Player for the second most in tournament history. Only six-time Masters champion Jack Nicklaus (37) made more cuts at Augusta National.

The last two Masters champions won't be playing on the weekend.

Willett finished the second round with consecutive bogeys, missing out by two strokes.

Garcia's reign was essentially over when he wrote a double-digit number on his scorecard in the opening round Thursday. The Spaniard and new father hit five consecutive balls into the water at the par-5 15th.

Garcia seemed to spend much of Friday going through the motions. He struggled to a 78 that included dumping another ball in the water at No. 11 and ended up at 15-over 159.

Garcia will be around to be part of the championship celebration at Butler Cabin, where he will put a green jacket on the 2018 champ. Doug Ghim will join him inside.

The 21-year-old Ghim was the only amateur to make the cut. He got into the Masters thanks to a runner-up finish in the U.S. Amateur. The low amateur also gets invited to the ceremony at Butler Cabin.

For more AP golf coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-Golf and https://apnews.com/tag/TheMasters

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>No one laughing at Patrick Reed now after Masters win

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Patrick Reed got some laughs a few years back when he declared himself a top five player, with little on his resume to back it up.

No one is laughing now.

Reed's breakthrough win in the Masters didn't officially move him into the top five — he's now No. 11 in the world — but it certainly moved him into the conversation when the debate turns to major championships.

As well it should, after Reed handled not only the golf course but the suffocating pressure of a Sunday at the Masters to win his first major. Playing in the same group as four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, he didn't flinch even as Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler made late runs at him.

The player known for a sometimes prickly attitude may have even won a few fans over in the process.

They cheered for McIlroy on the first tee, certain that he was going to overcome a three-shot deficit and win his first green jacket. But it was Reed who got the final cheers when he calmly sank a 3-footer on the 18th green for a final round 71 to win by a shot over Fowler and two over Spieth.

"I walked up to the first tee and had a really welcoming cheer from the fans, but then when Rory walked up to the tee, you know, his cheer was a little louder," Reed said. "But that's another thing that just kind of played into my hand. Not only did it fuel my fire a little bit, but also, it just takes the pressure off of me and adds it back to him."

Known as "Captain America" for his play in the Ryder Cup, Reed added a far more important title: Masters champion. He did it by playing steady to protect a three-shot lead as some of the biggest names in golf tried to chase him down.

And if he wasn't exactly lacking for confidence before, winning the green jacket should give him even more of a strut.

"He's not scared. I think you guys have seen that previous from the Ryder Cups and the way he plays," said Fowler, who closed with a 67. "He won't back down. I don't necessarily see him as someone that backs up and will let you come back into the tournament. You have to go catch him."

Only Spieth managed to do that on a cool but sunny afternoon on an Augusta National course that was giving up birdies in bunches. Spieth, who started the day nine strokes down, briefly drew into a tie for the lead with a long birdie putt on No. 16, but Reed birdied No. 14 behind him to retake the lead and held on for the win.

Had Spieth pulled it off it would have been the greatest comeback in Masters history, but he bogeyed his final hole for a 64 that was one shot off the course record.

"I think I've proven to myself and to others that you never give up," Spieth said. "I started the round nine shots back and I came out with the idea of just playing the golf course and having a lot of fun doing it and try to shoot a low round and finish the tournament strong and see what happens, if something crazy happens."

The 27-year-old Texan also survived a late move by Fowler, whose final hole birdie forced Reed to make par on No. 18 to win. He did just that, rolling a 25-foot putt down the scary slope on the final green, then calmly sinking the putt to win.

"I knew it was going to be a dogfight," Reed said. "It's just a way of God basically saying, 'Let's see if you have it.' Everyone knows you have it physically with the talent. But do you have it mentally? Can you handle the ups and downs throughout the round?"

McIlroy, meanwhile, will have to wait another year for a shot at the career Grand Slam after his disappointing round.

Trailing by three shots to start the final round, he closed to within one shot after two holes. That was as close as he came. McIlroy's putter betrayed him — he missed four putts inside 10 feet on the front nine — and he was never a factor on the back nine. He closed with a 74 and tied for fifth.

"Tough day, but I'll be back," McIlroy said. "And hopefully, I'll be better."

Reed is old-school among his generation, with a brash attitude and a willingness to speak his mind. He has never been terribly popular in this state, mainly because of allegations of bad behavior while playing for Georgia that led to an early departure from the Bulldogs. He transferred to Augusta State and led the outmanned Jaguars to a pair of NCAA titles. His parents live in Augusta, but were not at the tournament. They weren't at his wedding in 2012, a relationship Reed chooses not to discuss.

"I'm just out here to play golf and try to win golf tournaments," Reed said.

He did both on Sunday on the biggest stage in golf.</s>American Patrick Reed did most of the hard work on Friday and Saturday at Augusta National, although his Sunday was anything but easy. He shot a one-under par 71 on the final day, and 15-under par for the tournament, to win The Masters by one stroke over Rickie Fowler and two strokes over Jordan Spieth. In winning his first major championship, after tying for second at last year’s PGA Championship, Reed also collected the $1.98 million winner’s prize.

Fowler and Spieth, teammates of Reed’s on the victorious 2016 United States Ryder Cup team, both shot the ball exceptionally well on Sunday, but came up just short at the end. Reed’s three-shot lead over Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy to start the fourth round proved to be insurmountable, even as Fowler shot a 67 and Spieth tied a final-round Masters record with a 64. McIlroy struggled all day, carding a 74 to finish in a tie for fifth place at 9-under.

This was Reed’s sixth career victory on the PGA Tour and obviously the most significant, although he did win the WGC-Cadillac Championship in 2014 before posting a 3-0-1 record in the 2016 Ryder Cup. Perhaps it was just a matter of time, then, before the 27-year-old veteran from Texas captured his first major. However, Spieth did his best to make Reed earn this win, coming from ninth place after the third round to tie for the lead on the back nine Sunday.

But Spieth bogeyed the 72nd hole, and then Fowler birdied it to take the clubhouse lead at 14-under. Reed, who missed the cut at the Masters in 2017 and had never finished better than 22nd in this event, was calm and cool on the final nine, however, making birdies at the 12th and 14th holes before carding four straight pars to finish the tournament and claim the title.

Spieth led after the first round, shooting a 66 that included a bogey at the 18th hole. That gave the 2015 Masters champion a two-shot lead over fellow Americans Tony Finau and Matt Kuchar. Still, the biggest noise of the day came when defending champion Sergio Garcia carded a 13 on the 15th hole when he put five balls into the water. Meanwhile, sentimental and crowd favorite Tiger Woods shot 1-over par on Thursday in his return to Augusta, after missing the last two years with injury.

When Spieth tumbled on Friday, shooting 2-over, it was Reed who took control of the event with a brilliant 66, taking the midway lead at 9-under par. Australia’s Marc Leishman stood in second, two shots back, while Sweden’s Henrik Stenson was four shots behind the leader. Spieth and McIlroy were tied for fourth at 4-under par. Woods’ 75 on Friday enabled him to make the cut, but he was near the bottom of the leaderboard.

Reed’s 67 on Saturday gave him a three-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round, with McIlroy traileing him despite shooting 65 himself. Fowler also shot 65 to move into third place, while Spieth fell to a tie for ninth after a 1-under effort. Spain’s Jon Rahm carded a 65 in the third round himself to move up to fourth place, which he held on to Sunday after carding a final-round 69. Woods shot even par on Saturday to remain in 40th place after the third round. He would finish 32nd for the tournament at 1-over par, after posting 69 on Sunday.

>>More: This Week In Golf

Next On The Tee: The RBC Heritage

This is the 50th year on tour for The Heritage, which was first played in 1969, with Arnold Palmer claiming the inaugural event. Now held at the Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, this event has a $6.7 million overall purse. The defending champion is American Wesley Bryan, who posted a one-stroke victory over Scotland’s Luke Donald in last year’s event. Both players are back this season, although Bryan missed the cut at Augusta while posting 74-78 in the first two rounds.

Other notable players in the field for this week include 2016 U.S. Open champion, Dustin Johnson, 2007 Masters and 2015 British Open winner, Zach Johnson, and Leishman, who finished ninth at Augusta, after carding 73-70 over the weekend. Among the former Heritage champions in the field are two-time winner Jim Furyk (2010, 2015) and five-time winner Davis Love III (1987, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2003). Many top players on tour take this week off to recover from the grueling grind of the Masters, but the 2018 field looks strong nonetheless.

The Harbour Town course, designed by Pete Dye in 1969, with the help of the Golden Bear, Jack Nicklaus, is one of the most recognizable on tour. In 2012, a Golf Digest survey of pros on the PGA Tour ranked this course as the second-best loop after Augusta National. So it is fitting to schedule the two events on successive weekends. The iconic red and white-striped lighthouse on the course is quite famous as well.

The Harbour Town Golf Links course plays 7,099 yards long and is a par 71.

Sam McPherson is a freelance writer covering baseball, football, basketball, golf and fantasy sports for CBS Local. He also is an Ironman triathlete and certified triathlon coach. Follow him on Twitter @sxmcp, because he’s quite prolific despite also being a college English professor and a certified copy editor.</s>Patrick Reed hits on the fourth tee during the fourth round at the Masters golf tournament Sunday, April 8, 2018, in Augusta, GA. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

(RNN) - Patrick Reed held off a furious comeback from Jordan Spieth and a stellar round from Rickie Fowler to claim his first Masters championship on Sunday.

"I knew it was going to be tough," Reed said. "I knew that the lead was going to shrink at some times, and I knew it could grow. That's just the flows of golf, you just have to handle it."

Reed, who attended college in Augusta, closely missed a number of putts on the back nine as Spieth roared to a final-round record-tying 64.

But Spieth, with a chance to equal the record low round, slipped up on the 18th hole and instead bogeyed.

Fowler meanwhile struck birdies on six of the last 11 holes to finish 14-under and edge Spieth for second place.

"Gave it our all, left it all out there, made P-Reed earn it," Fowler said.

Reed, despite the heavy pressure, held firm following a spotty start to the day.

He was 1-over for the round before he birdied the par-3 12th hole. He managed another birdie on 14 and then shot an even-par the rest of the way.

It was a modest improvement on his 14-under score coming into the day, but enough to get him the green jacket.

Reed was commanding earlier in the week, with sub-70 scores in each of the first three rounds.

The 27-year-old had never won a major championship before. He finished tied for second at least year’s PGA Championship.

Spieth, the 2015 Masters champion, was chasing a record comeback of nine strokes. The largest Masters comeback is eight strokes, done twice, by Gary Player in 1978 and Jack Burke in 1956.

Rory McIlroy, who has won golf's three other majors but never the Masters, came into the day in second but faded out with a frustrating 2-over 74.

Tiger Woods finished strong with a 3-under 69, his best round of the tournament. He finished tied for 32nd at 1-over.</s>Players at The Masters were forced to deal with some on-and-off wet weather throughout the day Saturday, but leader Patrick Reed came prepared with his 2016 Ryder Cup umbrella.

Reed seems headed toward an epic final group pairing on Sunday with Rory McIlroy, the man he beat in his singles match at the last Ryder Cup en route to a Team USA victory.

Reed held a two-shot lead over McIlroy through 12 holes Sunday, but eagled the 13th to double his advantage.

Patrick Reed takes control of The Masters with two eagles on the back nine Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler are making runs at The Masters Masters green 'Dilly Dilly' hats are reportedly being given away near Augusta</s>Reed wins first major title, holding off Fowler at Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — The tepid applause that greeted Patrick Reed on the first tee made it clear he wasn't the people's choice.

All he cared about was being the Masters champion.

He turned back an early move by Rory McIlroy and a late charge by Rickie Fowler. Most daunting in the middle of the final round Sunday was a familiar name at Augusta National — Jordan Spieth — on the verge of the greatest comeback in Masters history.

Reed had the game and the grit to beat them all. And when he slipped on that green jacket, he had everyone's respect.

"I knew it was going to be a dogfight," Reed said. "It's just a way of God basically saying, 'Let's see if you have it.' Everyone knows you have it physically with the talent. But do you have it mentally? Can you handle the ups and downs throughout the round?"

He has proven that playing for his country. He did it Sunday for himself.

The final test was a 25-foot putt down the scary slope on the 18th green, and Reed pressed down both hands, begging it to stop as it rolled 3 feet by. From there, the 27-year-old Texan calmly rolled in the par putt for a 1-under 71 and a one-shot victory.

Known as "Captain America" for his play in the Ryder Cup, Reed added a far more important title: Masters champion.

The loudest cheers were for everyone else, and Reed picked up on that right away. The crowd was squarely behind McIlroy and his best chance yet at completing the career Grand Slam. Then it was Spieth, running off four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine to challenge the course record. The loudest cheer was for Fowler when he made an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole to pull within one.

Reed never flinched through it all.

"I just went out there and just tried to play golf the best I could and tried to stay in the moment and not worry about everything else," Reed said.

Reed, who finished at 15-under 273, won for the sixth time in his PGA Tour career.

Until Sunday, he was best known for the trophies he shared at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. He is ferocious in match play, especially the team variety, and his singles victory over McIlroy at Hazeltine in the 2016 Ryder Cup led to his nickname.

"He's not scared. I think you guys have seen that previous from the Ryder Cups and the way he plays," said Fowler, who closed with a 67. "He won't back down. I don't necessarily see him as someone that backs up and will let you come back into the tournament. You have to go catch him."

Fowler did his best with three birdies in a four-hole stretch, and the 8-footer on the final hole. It still wasn't enough. Fowler was runner-up for the third time in a major. He left the scoring cabin when Reed tapped in for par.

"Glad I at least made the last one, make him earn it," Fowler said with a grin as he waited to greet the newest major champion.

"You had to do it didn't you?" Reed told him as they exchanged a hug. "You had to birdie the last."

Spieth put up the most unlikely fight and was on the verge of the greatest comeback in Masters history. He started nine shots behind going into the final round, and was inches away on two shots from a chance at another green jacket.

His tee shot on the 18th clipped the last branch in his way, dropping his ball some 267 yards from the green. His 8-foot par putt for a record-tying 63 narrowly missed on the right. He had to settle for a 64.

"I think I've proven to myself and to others that you never give up," Spieth said. "I started the round nine shots back and I came out with the idea of just playing the golf course and having a lot of fun doing it and try to shoot a low round and finish the tournament strong and see what happens, if something crazy happens."

McIlroy, meanwhile, will have to wait another year for a shot at the career Grand Slam.

Trailing by three shots to start the final round, he closed to within one shot after two holes. That was as close as he came. McIlroy's putter betrayed him — he missed four putts inside 10 feet on the front nine — and he was never a factor on the back nine. He closed with a 74 and tied for fifth.

"Tough day, but I'll be back," McIlroy said. "And hopefully, I'll be better."

Reed is old-school among his generation, with a brash attitude and a willingness to speak his mind. He has never been terribly popular in this state, mainly because of allegations of bad behavior while playing for Georgia that led to an early departure from the Bulldogs. He transferred to Augusta State and led the outmanned Jaguars to a pair of NCAA titles. His parents live in Augusta, but were not at the tournament. They weren't at his wedding in 2012, a relationship Reed chooses not to discuss.

"I'm just out here to play golf and try to win golf tournaments," Reed said.

He won a big one Sunday, and it was hard work, just the way he likes it.

Different about this victory for Reed was the fuchsia shirt he wore as part of a Nike script. Reed always wears black pants and a red shirt because that's what Tiger Woods does, and Reed has long modeled his mental game after Woods. "Be stubborn," he once said about learning by watching Woods.

Woods broke par for the first time all week with a 69. He tied for 32nd, 16 shots behind, in his first major since the 2015 PGA Championship.

Reed went to the back nine with a four-shot lead over four players, and they all had their chances. That included Jon Rahm, the 23-year-old from Spain, whose chances ended when he went after the flag on the par-5 15th and came up short in the water. He shot 69 and finished fourth.

Reed made a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 12, and his biggest birdie was a 9-iron to 8 feet on the 14th that broke the tie with Spieth. He made all pars from there. That was all he needed.

He became the fourth straight Masters champion to capture his first major.

Reed once claimed after winning a World Golf Championship at Doral that he was a top 5 player in the world, which subjected him to ridicule because it was only his third career title. His first major moves him to No. 11. It also comes with a green jacket, which is worth far more notoriety, not to mention respect.</s>Patrick Reed is on course to win the Masters

Reed headed into the final day hoping to fend off the challenge of Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy.

However, the world No 4 missed some crucial shots, which coupled with Spieth’s increasable under-par performance, took Reed to a nervy finish.

Tiger Woods also made his long-awaited return to a major championship but he disappointed with only one below-par round.

The total prize money for the Masters stands at $11million (£7.8m) but it is shared out between the competitiors dependant on how they finish in the leaderboard.
In golf, American Patrick Reed wins the 2018 Masters Tournament held in Augusta, Georgia.