Three share Masters lead, one Saffa makes cut

[ad_1]

Prime-ranked Scottie Scheffler shared the lead with fellow Individuals Bryson DeChambeau and Max Homa after battling fierce winds in Friday’s second spherical of the 88th Masters.

Blustery circumstances performed havoc with the world’s prime golfers at Augusta Nationwide, the place 15-time Main winner Tiger Woods floor out a 23-hole stroll to set a file by making his twenty fourth consecutive Masters reduce.

Scheffler, the 2022 Masters winner, fired a par 72 to face on six-under 138 after 36 holes alongside Homa, who shot 71 in quest of his first Main title, and DeChambeau, the 2020 US Open champion and round-one chief who shot 73.

Erik van Rooyen was the one South African to make the reduce after a spherical of 76 left him on three-over 147 (T30). Newbie Christo Lamprecht (78) and 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (81) ended on eight-over 152 and 11-over 155, respectively.

“It was very tough on the market,” DeChambeau stated of the brisk breeze. “It was an excellent problem. I needed to again off fairly just a few instances. I’ve by no means skilled something like this out right here at Augusta Nationwide earlier than.”

Scheffler had three birdies and three bogeys however was pleased with seven back-nine pars as tree limbs danced whereas brutal winds gusted.

“Situations had been actually powerful on the market,” he stated. “Pleased with how I fought and stored myself within the match. I used to be making an attempt to make a bunch of pars to remain within the golf match. Pleased with how I did that.”

PGA Tour star Scheffler and LIV Golf’s DeChambeau, from reverse sides in golf’s civil struggle, had been set for a weekend showdown on a Main stage, the one avenue for such a conflict in a divided period.

“It’s completely different, not with the ability to play a lot of the similar occasions and seeing how profitable he’s been on the market,” DeChambeau stated of Scheffler.

“He’s the most effective participant on this planet and it’s going to be a number of enjoyable competing and seeing what he can do in comparison with what the remainder of the sphere can do, what I can do. I’m wanting ahead to it, I actually am.”

Scheffler, who may be part of Woods as the one gamers to win The Masters twice whereas ranked world No 1, plunked his method into Rae’s Creek on the par-five thirteenth and made bogey to fall out of the solo lead.

Homa birdied two of the primary 4 holes and made his lone bogey at 11.

“I struck the ball rather well,” Homa stated. “Most pleased with our course administration and simply controlling ideas and expectation.”

Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard, amongst 20 Masters newcomers making an attempt for the primary rookie win since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, closed with back-to-back bogeys to fireplace a 73 and stand fourth on four-under 140.

Woods, in the meantime, had a second-round 72 to share twenty second on one-under 145, breaking the previous Masters reduce streak file he shared with Gary Participant and Fred {Couples}.

“I’ll textual content Freddy and provides him a little bit needle,” Woods stated.

5-time Masters winner Woods needed to play his final 5 holes of spherical one on Friday after storms delayed Thursday’s begin.

“I’m drained,” he stated. “I’ve been out for some time, competing, grinding. It has been an extended 23 holes, an extended day.”

Woods has struggled to stroll rounds since struggling extreme leg accidents in a 2021 automotive crash, however went to follow after his hefty stroll.

“Simply want some meals and a few caffeine, and I’ll be good to go,” Woods stated.

Woods, whose solely missed Masters reduce was as an beginner in 1996, is in his first Main since proper ankle fusion surgical procedure final April on account of accidents from the accident.

Spain’s Jon Rahm, the 2023 Masters champion, struggled to a four-over 76 to face on five-over 149, one contained in the reduce line, and stretched the longest energetic streak of made cuts in Majors to 18 occasions.

“Preventing all of it day, by no means comfy. I needed to play actually good golf and get fortunate a few instances with gusts. It was a foul day to not have it,” Rahm stated. “I nonetheless made reduce. Two rounds to make up 12 pictures. It has been performed.”

4-time Main winner Rory McIlroy, who wants a victory to finish a profession grand slam, fired a 77 to face on four-over 148 regardless of a double-bogey and three bogey.

“I nonetheless suppose I can exit tomorrow and shoot a low one, get again into purple numbers, and have half an opportunity going into Sunday,” stated the Northern Irishman.

Amongst 29 gamers lacking the reduce had been fourth-ranked reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark, Norway’s sixth-ranked Viktor Hovland and three-time Main winner Jordan Spieth.