The Tiger haters had to cringe when their anti-hero won the Tour Championship last fall. They had been adamant for many, many months concerning two facets of Tiger's resume. One, he would never get his 15th Major, and two, he wouldn't get his 80th career victory.

    The 80th victory talk ended last September in Atlanta: the 15th Major talk could come to an end today. (It's funny how all the negative baloney has disappeared - quietly). With $11.5 million in purse money to be distributed, and $2.07 million to the winner, if Tiger does get to wear another green jacket he'll go over $120 million in career earnings.  

    After 54 holes, Francesco Molinari (70-67-66-203) is 13 under and has a two-stroke lead in The Masters over Tiger (70-68-67-205) and Tony Finau (71-70-64-205). And, due to the threat of severe weather in Augusta late this afternoon, starting times have been moved up by several hours in the hope they can finish before the hail rolls in.

    To further help make it to No. 18 in an attempt to be able to present the green jacket to someone today, they will go off in threesomes instead of the traditional twosomes. That means Molinari and Finau get to compete right next to Tiger, along with a crowd that will number in the tens of thousands and a TV audience that will number in the zillions. All the other threesomes will still enjoy huge crowds - the spectators who are waiting on each hole for the leaders to come through. 

    Also squarely in the hunt for the finale will be Brooks Koepka (66-71-69-206), who has won three recent Majors, was last season's Player of the Year, and who would relish beating the top trio and solidify his position as the No. 1 player in the world. A victory by the one-time Seminole would mean he holds the last three Major titles at the same time.

    That's not to say that someone a little further back can't shoot the lights out and join the mix. Webb Simpson and Ian Poulter are four strokes behind at 9 under, and there's a group of five at 8 under which includes Matt Kuchar, Xander Schauffele and Dustin Johnson.

    Phil Mickelson, at six under par, was unable to get closer than seven strokes. If he had, it would have made today's round that much sweeter. The lone Gator in the field, Billy Horschel, barely made the cut and has struggled - he's tied for 63rd at 5 over. 

    For CBS, it's a scenario sent from heaven. With coverage beginning at 9 a. m., and the final trio teeing off at 9:20, by noon TV ratings should reach the ionosphere. 

     

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