Andrew Cotter
BBC commentator

In spectator noise it's 1-0 to McIlroy.

Reed starts with a three-wood in his hand... his finishing pose is motionless, not a noise from the crowd. He's gone left, up against a tree.

Early chance for McIlroy? Oh no... he's sliced his opening drive. Into the trees and over the patrons. Out of bounds is lurking over there...

Par-birdie-par for Reed. Birdie-bogey-par for Rory. That's how they've played the first this week.

Reed has stuck his tee into the ground... the leader's honour. Strap up tight...

Image source, #bbcmasters

The first is a slight dogleg right that plays uphill. Drives to the left may catch the trees. The hole requires a precise second shot to an undulating green. A poorly struck approach may result in a difficult two-putt.

Palm-stinging applause and throat-hurting whooping greets the final two players as they strut out down the sandy footpath and on to the first tee. Messrs Reed and Woods are ready to go. Here's what awaits...

Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn with his thoughts on Reed-McIlroy: "They had a very nice ding dong at Hazeltine it seems every generation has a rivalry, these two might be starting one and it's going to be very interesting. They normally don't show any fear either one of them so it could be quite a day."

Birdies are dropping wherever you look at Augusta, and Henrik Stenson wants in on the act.

The Swede lofts an approach to within 10 feet of the cup and then rolls it home to fire a warning shot at those above him.

He moves to eight under.

Rory McIlroy and Patrick Reed exchange a word or two on the putting green before they get the call to go the first tee.

Let's not forget that these two seem to get on pretty well, even when their Ryder Cup duel strayed into a pantomime atmosphere they were still exchanging fist-bumps and smiles.

So what does McIlroy think about his final-day pairing with leader and long-term rival Reed?

"There are still a few more players in this tournament than Patrick Reed and I," he said. "I think there's Rickie Fowler on nine, Jon Rahm on eight, there are still a few guys who have got a chance.

"I told myself not to look too much at the leaderboard and I didn't. It worked in my favour. I'm going to set myself a target tomorrow and try to get to it."

You don't lose it. Tiger gets the first eagle of his comeback, dropping in a 29-foot putt for an eagle on the 15th.

American Rickie Fowler is out alongside 23-year-old Spaniard Jon Rahm today.

The penultimate pairing make their way to the first tee, with Fowler narrowly avoiding a fairway-flanking bunker and Rahm then dragging his left for a tidy lie.

Two men with eyes on the top of the leaderboard...

Image source, Getty Images

Britain's Laura Davies has won four Majors in her career and reckons Patrick Reed has the upper hand at the Masters, but Rory McIlroy is well-positioned to pounce if the American falters.

"Patrick Reed will sleep a lot worse than Rory will," Davies told Radio 5 live's Sportsweek earlier on today.

"I know you can say Rickie Fowler and John Rahm are still in it if Reed gives them a chance but, realistically, it’s only really McIlroy if Reed plays half decent that can catch him.

"Rory will be excited. He's got everything to gain and nothing to lose and vice versa for Patrick Reed. It is an uncomfortable three-shot lead.

"If Reed can be one or two under for those first five holes I think it can be a two-horse race. If he does falter at all then Rickie Fowler, who has obviously had his problems in final rounds of Majors but has maybe gone through the pain barrier, might be the one that can put pressure on the last group.

"It’s up to Patrick Reed. As good a Rory is it’s still in Patrick’s hands."

Jordan Spieth has climbed out of the right side of the bed, the side where his first-class putter stands.

The American cracks his approach at the par-five second on to the right of the green, rolls it 25 feet to within touching distance of the pin and then confidently prods home for another birdie.

Arthur Fane: Rory Slam! VicRorious

Greg Marks: Reed and green will be seen

Rickie Fowler and Jon Rahm wait patiently on the first tee as Tommy Fleetwood and Henrik Stenson takes their second shots ahead.

Rahm has his eyes closed... he looks asleep on his feet. More like to be some meditating routine, clearing his mind and finding inner peace for the travails ahead.

Fleetwood on the green, by the way, but is way outside of Stenson who sticks his ball within 10 feet of the can.

The load road to golfing immortality. Rory McIlroy, as you know, is aiming to become only the sixth man to earn a clean sweep of the four majors.

Here's what the Northern Irishman has got on his hands on so far:

• 2011 US Open
• 2012 PGA Championship
• 2014 Open Championship
• 2014 PGA Championship

Victory today at Augusta - or at some other point in the future - means he would have taken longer than any of the five men before him to complete the Grand Slam.

This week is Rory's 37th start at one of golf's four majors...

Image source, Getty Images

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy says he wants "to spoil the party" for Masters leader Patrick Reed by completing his own career Grand Slam at Augusta.

The 28-year-old is three shots behind the American, who has never won a major, going into Sunday's final round.

"I feel like all the pressure's on him," said four-time major winner McIlroy. "He's got a few guys chasing him who are pretty big time players.

"I'm really excited to show everyone what I've got, to show Patrick Reed what I've got and all the pressure is on him.

"He went to Augusta State University and has a lot of support and I'm hoping to come in here and spoil the party."

Rory McIlroy marches out of the locker room to plenty of well-wishes from the patrons hanging about outside. He strides out to have a quick knock with the putter before heading off to the first tee.

Alistair Bruce-Ball
BBC Radio 5 live at Augusta National

Commentary notes have been completed using Augusta's exhaustive media guides and my assignment for BBC Radio 5 live today is at Amen Corner.

That name for the famous stretch of holes at the 11th, 12th and 13th was coined exactly 60 years ago when a writer by the name of Herbert Warren Wind wanted to describe where the crucial action had taken place that year which lead to Arnold Palmer winning his first major title.

Wind apparently took the name from an old jazz song, it's fair to say it's stuck.

Image source, BBC Sport

Justin Thomas' cream trousers has just taken a battering from the stream on the second. His ball rolls into the water hazard after tugging his tee-shot left, but it is playable. Not quite in Van Der Velde territory, nevertheless Thomas tries to get out of the way before the water flicks all over his slacks. Too late.

Up ahead, Dustin Johnson - who is clinging onto the world number one spot from Thomas and Jon Rahm - birdies the par-five second.

John Murray
BBC Radio 5 live

Our on-course commentary teams have received their instructions for the day - I'm going to be spending it in our booth at the back of the stand overlooking the 15th green in one direction, and the 16th tee in the other.

Andrew Magee, who played in The Masters seven times, is going to be with me, as he was to witness to Sergio Garcia's nightmare on Thursday, and alongside Alistair Bruce-Ball yesterday for Patrick Reed's thrilling eagle.

There is always the prospect of seeing a hole-in-one at the 16th on the final day. There have been 19 over the years, most recently last year from Matt Kuchar in the final round.