Scott Murray's Blog, page 7

The Masters 2025: day three – as it happened

Rory McIlroy started the day with six straight threes, Bryson DeChambeau ended it with a birdie rake to trim the gap at the top to two. What a Moving Day!

An extremely smiley Bryson DeChambeau has a chat with CBS Sports. “If I can just keep it in the fairway … iron shots into the green … I watch a lot … see what players are doing … where the pin locations are … how people are playing it … trying to get comfortable with that … get my day started off a little late on purpose … feel comfortable like I’m just getting up, getting ready to go play some golf and have a good time … I’m excited … it’s gonna be a lot of fun!”

Shot of the week at 12 by Denny McCarthy! At the 155-yard par-three, he lands his ball five feet in front of the flag. A couple of tiny bounces take it a couple of feet closer, but no further. That’s a kick-in birdie, though. The 32-year-old from Florida, whose best finish here was a modest tie for 45th last year, moves into the red at -1 overall. So close there to only the fourth ace at 12 in Masters history. The others: the two-time US Open champion Curtis Strange in 1988, the amateur Bill Hyndman in 1959, and Claude Harmon, Butch’s dad, in 1947 (a year before his victory).

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The Masters 2025: Rose just in front after day two – as it happened

Justin Rose has a one-shot lead on Bryson DeChambeau with Rory McIlroy a further shot back after 36 holes

You can perhaps understand why Craig Wood suffered such a shocker in the first round in 1936, still shaken no doubt by what had happened to him the year before. Allow me to explain / plagiarise myself. Wood had missed out on the inaugural title in 1934 by one stroke, but looked odds-on to win in 1935, in the clubhouse with a three-shot advantage over his only real challenger. But that challenger was Gene Sarazen, who was still out on the course, in the middle of the par-five 15th having clattered a 250-yard drive down the 485-yard hole. He was playing with Walter Hagen, who upon hearing the news of Wood’s clubhouse mark, cried: “Well, that’s that!” Sarazen shrugged and replied: “They might go in from anywhere.” Whereupon he drew his 4-wood back and landed his second on the front of the green, the ball rolling to the far-right corner and into the cup for an albatross (or a double eagle, as the locals would have it). Now level with Wood, he parred his way in, then breezed the 36-hole play-off. His albatross became known as The Shot Heard Round The World, and one which put the Augusta National Invitation Tournament on the map.

Poor old Nick Dunlap had a bit of a shocker yesterday. An 18-over round of 90 that featured four double bogeys and a triple. Seven bogeys, just six pars. “He’s a very talented chap,” begins Simon Thomas, “Golf is hard. He’s got a bit of ground to make up; by my reckoning he needs to find at least 16 shots today if he’s to make the weekend. A 56 today then.” Well, let’s see now. Craig Wood shot a first round of 88 in 1936, bouncing back with a 67 the next day. He finished in a tie for 20th, and went on to win the event in 1941. So there’s always hope I guess. Admittedly that still stands as the biggest contrasting start in Masters history, 89 years on, and Dunlap would have to better Jim Furyk’s all-time low PGA Tour score of 58 by two strokes to beat the cut. But let’s rule nothing out until it’s mathematically impossible.

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The Masters 2025: Justin Rose leads the way on day one at Augusta – as it happened

Justin Rose signed for a brilliant 65 to take a three-shot lead after an eventful first day at the 89th Masters

Noah Kent qualified for this year’s Tournament by finishing runner-up at the US Amateur. One of five amateurs in this year’s field – along with US Amateur champion Jose Luis Ballester, NCAA individual title winner Hiroshi Tai, US Mid-Am champ Evan Beck and Latin American Amateur winner Justin Hastings – he’s made back-to-back birdies at 3 and 4, and like Davis Riley before him, can now always say he once led the Masters. A fast start for Wolverhampton’s Aaron Rai on debut, too, with birdies at 2 and 3. Rai has yet to make a serious impression on any of the majors, but he broke his PGA Tour duck last year at the Wyndham, formerly the Greater Greensboro Open, so knows what it takes to enter the winners circle. Sandy Lyle’s first victory in the USA was at the Greater Greensboro, incidentally, for anyone interested in extremely tenuous omens.

-2: Z Johnson (5), Kirk (5), Kent -a- (4), Rai (3)

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Aston Villa 2-1 Nottingham Forest: Premier League – as it happened

Villa made it seven consecutive wins in all competitions thanks to a quick-fire first-half double

2 min: Forest – who deliberately kept their hosts waiting before kick-off, forming a huddle that went on a bit longer than was absolutely necessary – are kicking towards the Holte End in this first half.

Forest get the ball rolling. But only after a knee is taken: there’s no room for racism.

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Nottingham Forest 1-0 Manchester United: Premier League – as it happened

Forest completed their first league double over United since 1992 thanks to Anthony Elanga’s glorious nine-second 93-yard dash

2 min: Gibbs-White chases a long pass down the left. He can’t get past De Ligt, who initially looked out of position and did well to get back to stop the Forest man nipping away.

Manchester United get the ball rolling. Nuno looks relaxed in the dugout, Amorim smiling as he prowls the touchline. Here we go, then.

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Brighton 0-0 Nottingham Forest (3-4 pens): FA Cup quarter-final – as it happened

Matz Sels was heroic in the shootout to send Forest into the last four of the FA Cup for the first time since 1991

Forest get the ball rolling. A huge roar of Albion. The away end giving it plenty as well.

The teams are out! A cracking atmosphere in Sussex by the Sea. The Seagulls in their blue and white stripes, the Tricky Trees in first-choice red. We’ll be off in a minute or two.

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North Macedonia 1-1 Wales: World Cup 2026 qualifier – as it happened

Bojan Miovski struck in stoppage time for the hosts but David Brooks rescued a point in a dramatic finale

… but first a minute of silence for the poor souls who lost their lives in Kocani. Immaculately observed.

The teams are out. North Macedonia in black, Wales in red. We’ll be off once the anthems have been sung.

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Wales 3-1 Kazakhstan: World Cup qualifier – as it happened

Rabbi Matondo scored the goal of the evening, his first for Wales, as Craig Bellamy’s side began their World Cup qualifying campaign with a win

2 min: Not long after the restart, Zhaksylykov chases a long pass down the left. The ball flies out for a throw. A couple of early signs that Kazakhstan don’t intend to spend the entire evening sitting back?

Kazakhstan get the ball rolling. Tapalov hares down the right but Williams batters the ball off him and it pings out for a goal kick.

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England 2-0 Albania: World Cup 2026 qualifier – as it happened

Fine finishes from debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly and captain Harry Kane secured a World Cup qualifying win for new head coach Thomas Tuchel

The teams are out! England in white, Albania black and red. We’ll be off once the national anthems are sung, or not sung, enjoyed or endured, whatever folk choose, however they see it, live and let live.

Thomas Tuchel talks to ITV. “Big occasion … I’m a bit nervous … but more excited … happy to get the journey going … it was a very simple decision to bring [Dan Burn into the squad] … he had a huge final and impact here some days ago … we did not want to disturb his wave … he is on a good run … it could have been Levi Colwill but we opted for Dan … I can absolutely understand how everyone loves [Myles Lewis-Skelly] … a big personality ... a big character … he is ready to go … [Marcus Rashford] is a calm guy … we got some smiles out of him … he enjoys being back in camp … Anthony Gordon comes off the back of a red card and some missed games so it was a close race … bring the energy … we play on the front foot … aggressive and attacking … don’t lose the intensity … they have good football players … we need to be aware but we are ready to go.”

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Netherlands 2-2 Spain, Italy 1-2 Germany, Greece 0-1 Scotland: Nations League – as it happened

Scott McTominay was Scotland’s goalscoring hero yet again as for the first time in 2025 international football took centre stage

2 min: Greece 0-0 Scotland. … but they get the ball back and win a free kick out on the right. It’s swung in and half cleared, but when McGinn attempts to whistle the ball through a crowded box, the whistle goes for too much Caledonian pushing and shoving. A confident-enough start by the Scots, though.

And we’re off! Scotland kick off in Greece, and lose the ball within the first six seconds. Onwards and upwards.

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