Henley doesn't get ultimate birthday wish, but it was a good day at the Masters nevertheless
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
It wasn’t the birthday of a lifetime, but it was a mighty good one.
Russell Henley won’t soon forget his 37th birthday, even if it failed to be as epic and unforgettable as it could have been.
It was close.
Henley turned in another clutch performance, but couldn’t get over the birdie hump late to gain ground and finished tied for third in his 10th Masters appearance.
After struggling to break 70 with any regularity in Augusta, Henley finished with a 68 on Sunday, after hitting 66 on Saturday.
He headed to the clubhouse three shots behind then-leader Rory McIlroy, who responded impressively from Saturday’s huge stumble and returned to the top.
Scottie Scheffler made a late run and battled Justin Rose just behind McIlroy.
Henley finished tied for third at 10 under, his 278 just two shots back of winner McIlroy and one behind Scheffler. Also at 278: Justin Rose, Cameron Young, and Tyrell Hatton.
The 278 is Henley’s best in Augusta, topping the 281 when he tied for fourth in 2023. And it’s quite the turnaround from missing last year’s Masters, after a 7-over 295 in 2024.
His share of the $22.5 million purse is 1.1 million.
“I hit it amazing today,” he said. “I gave myself a bunch of looks. Unfortunately, I didn’t capitalize on those looks on the back like I would have liked to.”
Henley resumed his steady play from Saturday, when a bogey-free round after two off-kilter efforts put him in the middle of contention as McIlroy lost control of the lead.
Henley birdied his first hole of the day, and had three more through the first eight holes.
Before long, Henley was breathing down the neck of new leader Rose, who had passed McIlroy and Young, the leaders to start the day.
The birdie on No. 8 put him in a tie for second, a shot behind Rose.
Rose went up two shots with a birdie on No. 9 – his third straight and fifth on the front nine - leaving McIlroy, Young, Henley and now Hatton all tied for second.
Hatton was five holes ahead of Henley, who was two holes ahead of Rose and four ahead of Young and McIlroy.
As Henley’s tee shot on par-3 No. 11 found the left side flowers just off the green, he dropped into a tie for fourth with Hatton as McIlroy and Young jumped up to share second, one back of Rose.
A subpar and very makeable 6-foot- putt followed a nice chip, and the first bogey of the day dropped Henley into a tie for fifth with Scheffler, three shots back.
Not for long.
Henley was back within a shot of the leaders, which had become Rose and McIlroy, and tied for third.
Henley birdied the par-5 13 while Rose bogeyed No. 11 and McIlroy followed two straight birdies with two straight pars.
Meanwhile, Hatton headed to the clubhouse tied for third with a 66, and 10 under for the tournament, and Scheffler dropped a stroke, to sixth.
Henley just missed a birdie putt, right by about two inches, for a share of the lead on 14, but stayed put with par.
His tee shot on 15 found some mild rough, which he easily escaped. His 16-footer for birdie was too strong and left, settling for par as Rose, Young, and McIlroy came up with some big shots.
McIlroy’s birdie on 12 put him up two.
Henley barely missed a birdie try on 16, all but closing the door on his chances to pull off the big birthday bonanza.
He parred the final holes – saved by a sweet chip on 18 to set up a par - and headed to the clubhouse tied for fourth with Young and Hatton, behind leader McIlroy, and then Scheffler and Rose.
There was plenty of golf left ,but those above him on the leaderboard stayed there, and he picked up a spot and some extra money, as well as the confidence of his best overall performance in a major.
“Yeah, I feel like I handled it well, kind of like, ‘I can do this,’” Henley said. “I feel like I handled the nerves well. I just felt like my reads weren't very good. Really happy with how I competed.”