That’s the welcome confirmation that nobody was injured when three trees were blown over to the left of the 17th tee … and the unwelcome news that the second round has been officially suspended for the rest of Friday. Play will start again tomorrow morning at 8am local time, 1pm BST. Here’s how the top of the leader board looks at the end of the day. Thanks for reading this blog. Nighty night.
-12: Koepka (F)
-9: Rahm (9)
-8: Bennett -a- (F)
-6: Morikawa (F), Hovland (10)
-5: Day (F), Burns (F), Spieth (F), Young (9)
-4: Woodland (F), Mickelson (F), Niemann (F), Rose (F), Henley (17), Reed (14), Lowry (13), Scott (10)
-3: KH Lee (F), Fox (F), Kirk (12), Matsuyama (8)
Updated
Play suspended for the day
#themasters pic.twitter.com/QI16LEw3hQ
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 7, 2023
ESPN reports … via our old pal Joe Pearson. “Min Woo Lee reported he saw a woman standing in between the trunks of the two trees that fell, roughly ten yards apart. That lady needs to buy a lottery ticket! Also, ESPN commentators have mentioned that the last player to finish the second round at twelve under was none other than Greg Norman in 1996. Look out Brooksie!”
While we’re waiting on news of the weather delay … anyone fancy some retro Masters action?
Sky have just broadcast footage of those trees falling. They came down before the hooter went to stop play, and landed so very close to a row of patrons watching Sergio Garcia, Keith Mitchell and Kazuki Higa putt out on 15. A huge crack before the crash that may have warned, and therefore saved, everyone. Such blessed good fortune that nobody was injured. Meanwhile the greenkeeping staff are getting rid of the debris at warp speed.
Updated
Trees fall near 17th tee
Two big pines came down near the 17th tee. Sky Sports have reported that “absolutely no-one was injured”, welcome news indeed. The Augusta National greenkeeping staff have already swarmed the two stricken trees, armed with chainsaws. A fair bet they won’t be lying across the tee box for long, and they’ll be shifted in record time. With a frisson of irony, all of this happened not so far from the site of the old Eisenhower Tree, which former US president and Augusta National member Dwight hit so often, he regularly lobbied to have it taken down.
Updated
The storm has taken down two trees near the 17th hole. No official word yet if any patrons have been injured.
Scary stuff — a tree just went down at Augusta National during the Masters. Prayers everyone is alright. https://t.co/tT1jD02RTh
— Dean Straka (@DWStraka49) April 7, 2023
Updated
Anyway, we’re not sure how long this break in play will last. Perhaps the players will be back out later; perhaps they won’t return until tomorrow. We’ll keep you posted here! In the meantime, why not entertain yourselves with the story of the last time the Masters went into Monday?
Updated
Nevertheless, Lyle musters a smile as he makes his way to the clubhouse, and spins through 360 degrees to applaud the patrons of Augusta National. They give him all the love. He’s given them one of the genuinely iconic Masters moments, after all. He’ll be back either later today or tomorrow to finish off, but that’s as good as any farewell. Memorable in its own way, huh?
The last time the hooter went, Jon Rahm was furious; this time, the 1988 champion Sandy Lyle a picture of disappointment. He’s playing in his final Masters, and the final tournament of his professional career … and was preparing to take what would hopefully be his final putt when play was suspended. He wanted to putt out, but the Augusta official weren’t taking any risks. He’ll have to hang around to say his farewells … possibly until tomorrow? The long goodbye. Ah well, it’s not perfect, but he’ll always have that bunker shot.
Updated
Play suspended
The hooter goes with the wind up, the rain coming down, and another storm heading in. The players trot off to the clubhouse, and everyone means it this time.
The wind has suddenly picked up dramatically. The temperature has, according to Wayne Riley on Sky, “just dropped ten degrees in 25 seconds … it’s going to be a nightmare for these guys who have got to play the back nine.” Jon Rahm’s brow creases with concern as he looks up to the sky. God speed through Amen Corner, everyone!
Updated
Cam Smith makes his eagle putt! It’s a lovely 17-foot tickle down the 8th green, a gentle right-to-left-then-back-again snaker that somehow always looks destined to drop. Completely deserved after that sensational fairway wood from the bunker 260 yards back down the hole! The Open champion is now -2, and don’t forget about him yet! Meanwhile up on 9, Jon Rahm confidently rattles in his birdie putt, and moves to within three of the leader. After a bit of a lull, things are beginning to happen again!
-12: Koepka (F)
-9: Rahm (9)
-8: Bennett -a- (F)
-6: Morikawa (F), Hovland (10)
Rahm takes advantage of his stroke of luck by steering his second off the bank just to the left of the 9th green, his ball working its way towards the nearby flag. He’ll have a look at birdie from 12 feet. Meanwhile back on 8, Cameron Smith finds the bunker down the right from the tee, and crashes a 264-yard fairway wood into the heart of the green, using the camber on the left to bring his ball to 17 feet. Eagle chance! Smith obviously in roll-’em mode after bogeys at 2, 4 and 7. He’s level par right now but maybe not for too much longer.
A huge break for Jon Rahm on 9. He flays his drive deep into the trees down the right, and drops his head in dismay. But the ball claps loudly off the trunk of a tree and back out towards the fairway. Meanwhile up on the green, Adam Scott rolls in a 15-footer for a birdie that wipes out the bogey he made on 3, and returns him to where he started the day: -4.
Jon Rahm finally takes a forward step. He batters his driver into the tee box in a fury as he sends his drive into sand down the right of 8. He’s forced to lay up, but then chips from 65 yards to seven feet, and tidies up for his first birdie of the day. That’ll cheer him up a bit.
-12: Koepka (F)
-8: Bennett -a- (F), Rahm (8)
-6: Morikawa (F), Hovland (8)
-5: Day (F), Burns (F), Spieth (F)
Russell Henley, the 33-year-old local hero, from nearby(ish) Macon, Georgia, is on course to match Brooks Koepka and KH Lee’s best-of-day 67. Birdies at 2, 3, 8, 9 and now 15 have whisked him up the leader board to -4. Meanwhile 2018 champ Patrick Reed had been going well, after birdies at 2, 3 and 11, but three putts from the fringe at the back of 12 have just cost him a shot. He’s -3.
Sahith Theegala is making his Masters debut this week. The 24-year-old Californian doesn’t have a PGA Tour title to his name yet, but he’s already finished in the top six on five occasions. He’s quickly getting used to his new surroundings at Augusta National: having shot 73 yesterday, he’s just birdied 8 and 9, and followed that up by pitching his tee shot at 12 to four feet, setting up a third birdie in five holes. He’s suddenly -2 and tracking in the right direction.
Updated
Jon Rahm isn’t fuming now. He gets up and down from the bunker he was in when the hooter first went – in front of the 7th green – and that’s his seventh par in a row. Off to the par-five 8th; it’s about time he made some sort of move towards Koepka. Meanwhile up on 18, Jordan Spieth nearly drains his long birdie putt, but par suffices for that 70. He’s -5 going into the weekend.
Mixed emotions for Jordan Spieth. He was in the middle of the 18th fairway when the hooter suspended play, so close to home and yet so far. Now he’ll get to finish and put his feet up … but his approach doesn’t hold the top shelf of the green and spins back down, 40 feet from the hole. Two putts from distance for a par and a 70 to go alongside yesterday’s 69.
Play resumes
The hooter goes again … but this time it’s good news. It’s back on!
Jon Rahm was fuming when the hooter went. He’s smiling now, though, with everyone pretty much convinced that the first batch of troublesome thunderstorm cells have passed, and that play will resume in short order. This isn’t to say there won’t be more storm concerns later on … or that the rain won’t start bucketing down soon … but fingers crossed, huh … and at the risk of tempting fate, the satellite images don’t identify any other imminent threats. Yep, fingers crossed.
Updated
Now then! The skies have suddenly cleared … a break in the cloud … and the players haven’t moved too far from where they were when the hooter went. In fact, they’re all heading back to their balls! It looks as though play will continue! Great news. Well, no official word yet … but none of the players are moving an inch. This could be back on!
Play suspended due to threat of lightning
The hooter goes. A lot of unhappy players stop what they’re doing and make their way back to the clubhouse. This might not be the end of play today, though. The current satellite pictures don’t appear too bad. But in they go, and we’ll have to wait and see how this all pans out. Depending on how much of a battering the storm gives the course, Augusta National could be playing very differently when everyone finally comes back out. If everyone comes back out. More news when we have it. In the meantime, here’s Steven Pye on the last time the Masters concluded on a Monday.
-12: Koepka (F)
-8: Bennett -a- (F)
-7: Rahm (6)
-6: Morikawa (F), Hovland (7)
-5: Day (F), Burns (F), Spieth (17), Lowry (10), Young (6)
Bennett: I’ve got what it takes to win
The record-breaking amateur Sam Bennett talks to Sky. “That was incredible … I think a lot of people didn’t think I was going to be able to back it up, but I went out there with the same gameplan … I hit a lot of solid shots … I put myself in great positions … this is right where I want to be … I love pressure, I love nerves … I know it’s the Masters and a bigger stage, but I’ve played in front of a lot of people … I’ve put myself in a good spot … anything can happen … I like where I stand … I think I can [win] … I’m playing really well … I think I’ve got what it takes to win … I love hitting shots in front of people and making shots when it matters … I think I have a good chance!”
He then explains the tattoo on his arm for those who haven’t heard the story of his late father, who passed away two years ago from early onset Alzheimer’s: “I look at it a lot … it was the last words he said before he passed when he was still in his right mind … so I use it for a little motivation … I know he’s watching and has a good view looking down at Augusta National … I know he’s thrilled but I wish he could be here … but he’s happy, I know he is.”
Those words? “Don’t wait to do something.”
“… and I think I’m not this week!”
Bogey for Rory McIlroy at 18. A second round of 77 to go with yesterday’s 72, a level-par score that, let’s be honest, flattered him. He ends his week at +5 and will be missing the cut for sure. Back this time next year for more career-slam speculation? It’s a date!
Updated
Brooks Koepka talks to Sky Sports. “I just played really solid … took advantage of the par fives … that’s what you have to do around this place … I feel good … my game is right where it should be … I’m excited and ready to go over the next two days … I’ll just keep doing what I’ve been doing … I’m very pleased we got in with no rain … we’ll see how this afternoon and tomorrow morning goes.”
Amateur Sam Bennett shoots another 68
Par for the amateur Sam Bennett at 18! He signs for his second 68 of the week! Unless somebody still out there gets to -9, Bennett will go out in the final pairing tomorrow.
-12: Koepka (F)
-8: Bennett -a- (F)
-7: Rahm (5)
-6: Morikawa (F), Hovland (7)
1958 was the last time an amateur held solo second after two rounds. Sam Bennett hopes to update that record by the end of today. #themasters pic.twitter.com/Vqb3G0ax6t
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 7, 2023
Updated
Scottie Scheffler sends his second at 18 through the back of the green. He bumps up from the bottom of the bank, but as gentle as he goes, he can’t stop the ball from rolling past the hole, then down the ridge running across the middle of the green. He rolls the 40-footer he leaves himself up to kick-in distance, but that’s a closing bogey and an extremely disappointing 75 for the defending champion. He goes into the weekend at -1, and his chances of joining an elite list of those to hang onto their title – Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods – are pretty slim now.
Rory McIlroy’s race is surely run. He nearly chips in from the back of 16, but the ball rolls four feet past, then he clanks the par putt wide right. Missed by an absolute mile! He grins in embarrassment as he walks away from the scene of the crime. He’s +4 and he could save himself with a birdie on 17 or 18, certainly if the cut moves further out … but you wouldn’t bet on his making one given the current state of his game/mind.
Collin Morikawa can’t make the birdie putt on 18, but par secures his second 69 of the week. He goes into Moving Day well placed. Meanwhile a bogey for Viktor Hovland, punishment for going over the back of the par-three 6th.
-12: Koepka (F)
-8: Bennett -a- (16)
-7: Rahm (4)
-6: Morikawa (F), Hovland (6)
-5: Day (F), Burns (16), Spieth (14), Lowry (8), Young (4)
Collin Morikawa whistles his approach at 18 pin high, from 182 yards to eight feet. He’ll have a great look at birdie for a round of 68. Meanwhile as the rain begins to patter down again, Rory McIlroy pulls his tee shot at 16 over the back left of the green. Time really is running out for him now. Meanwhile a near miss for Tiger on 6; he whips a glorious tee shot over the flag to ten feet, but has to trickle his birdie putt back down the green and it’s never going in. Six pars in a row.
Sam Burns nearly drains a 40-footer for eagle on 15. He’ll make do with a birdie that brings him back to -5. McIlroy has to settle for birdie as well, disappointingly pushing his five-foot eagle putt right of the cup. Never going in. He’s still outside the cutline at +3, though he’s still got three holes to fix things, and the weather might effectively move the cut further out anyway. Meanwhile wild drives down 18 cost both Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson. Both make bogey, and they sign for 71 and 72 respectively. Rose goes into the weekend at -4, DJ -1.
The projected cut remains at +2. Tiger Woods remains at +2. The five-time winner opens up with five straight pars. Hanging on in there. So is Rory McIlroy, sort of. Having birdied 13, he’s now creamed his second at 15 from 230 yards to five feet! Should he knock his eagle putt in, he’ll be back inside the cutline alongside Tiger!
Collin Morikawa has been plugging away quietly all week. He’s certainly not been getting his fair share of television coverage. In fact his major contribution so far has been inadvertent, a wholly confected rules brouhaha for which he was categorically found to be not at fault. But the 2020 PGA and 2021 Open champion will surely have a higher profile this weekend, because a birdie at 15 has brought him up to -6 for the tournament. He’s one par away from carding his second 69 of the week.
Updated
Back-to-back birdies for the 2020 champion Dustin Johnson at 16 and 17. That hauls him back into contention at -2. He looks reasonably content with life at the moment, unlike Scottie Scheffler, who will have been expecting to pick up a shot or two on the par-fives coming home, but has only been able to par them both. He’s not responded to that painful double bogey on 9, and remains at -2. Like DJ, he’s not out of it yet, but his mood music is more …
The rain has stopped for now, which is good news, though for how long the storm holds off is anyone’s guess. There are already dark clouds hovering over Xander Schauffele, mind, after a costly double bogey six on the short par-three 3rd. His tee shot found sand; his bunker shot failed to reach the green, toppling back down the bank; his chip then did likewise. He slips to -2. Meanwhile, as LIV enthusiasts around the world get their pom-poms out, this is a great point courtesy of David Howell: “A lot of the talk around the defectors coming into this week is that they would be rusty from the ‘meaningless golf’ they played in preceding non-majors. We should have guessed that this wouldn’t affect Brooks Koepka, for whom preceding non-majors seemed meaningless even when they were 72-hole events with a 36-hole cut.”
Jason Day’s round crumbled the minute he hit that fat chip into the drink at 15. A double bogey, a three-putt bogey at 16, and a short par putt missed on the last. Four shots shipped in the last four holes, in just under an hour. How quickly things can change at Augusta, and what could have been a 68 or better ends in a level-par 72. He goes into the weekend at -5.
Bah! The skies have opened. The rain has started to come down, reasonably heavily as well. No reason to stop play just yet, but it’s noticeable that quite a few of the players are picking up the pace, in order to complete as many holes as they can before the thunderstorm klaxon makes its inevitable call.
Yet another huge putt steered in by Sam Bennett! A 22-foot right-to-left curler from the back of 14! The birdie moves him into second place on his own! “I fear that, like myself, Monty, and Lloyd Mangrum, Rory is destined never to win the Masters,” begins Simon McMahon. “Even now, there’s a sad inevitability about it. Like for Tom Watson and Phil Mickelson, the career Grand Slam just isn’t going to happen, despite how much they, and we, want it to. McEnroe and the French Open, Lendl and Wimbledon, Dundee United and the European Cup, Rory and the Masters. So near and yet so far.”
Ah yes, Lloyd Mangrum! The 1946 US Open champion. A two-time runner up at Augusta (1940 and 1949). The Rhett Butler of the fairways. It took 12 heart attacks to finish him off. He was once told off by a spectator for chugging away on a cheroot. “Athletes shouldn’t smoke.” His pat response: “I’m no athlete, lady, I’m a golfer.”
-12: Koepka (F)
-8: Bennett -a- (14)
-7: Hovland (2), Rahm (1)
Phil Mickelson will be 53 years old in a couple of months. He’s already won one major championship as a fiftysomething, the 2021 PGA, and if you could offer him the pick of one last triumph, he’d absolutely, categorically, definitely select the US Open, the one biggie that’s eluded him. Having said all that, he wouldn’t turn his nose up at a fourth Masters … which, if only as a result of his dismal LIV form, is surely beyond him. Except, except. He’s just come home in 33 strokes, with birdies at 12, 13 and 18, to sign for a second round of 69. Add that to yesterday’s 71, and Lefty goes into the weekend at -4. I mean, he couldn’t, could he? No, don’t be so daft. But he could!
Updated
Two putts for Viktor Hovland at 2. Jon Rahm nearly chips in from the back of 1. Both remain at -7 … alongside the amateur Sam Bennett, who makes another birdie, this time at 13! Now then. Let’s not get carried away with ourselves. No amateur has ever won the Masters, something of an ironic twist seeing the tournament was founded by the greatest amateur of them all, Bobby Jones. But some have come close. Ken Venturi was runner-up in 1956, and probably should have won having led by four going into the final round. Frank Stranahan (1947) and Charlie Coe (1961) both tied for second; Billy Joe Patton finished third in 1954. Oh, and Jack Nicklaus tied for seventh in 1961, and he didn’t go on to do too badly as a professional. Just a little something to think about, is all.
-12: Koepka (F)
-7: Bennett -a- (13), Hovland (2), Rahm (1)
-6: Day (17)
-5: Morikawa (14), Burns (12), Spieth (11), Young (1)
If there’s one worry about Viktor Hovland, it regards his wedge play. Having bladed one at the 1st, he now sends a dismal heavy-handed chip 25 feet past the hole at 2. Meanwhile back on 1, Jon Rahm, having sent his opening drive into trees down the right, whistles his second through the green and is fortunate the gallery act as an unwitting backstop. The chasing pack are making life easy for Brooks Koepka, who will be in the clubhouse with the metaphorical feet up, cigar on, and ball of brandy rolling around a large tumbler beside a roaring fire.
It’s all going wrong for Jason Day. He growls in anguish as his tee shot at 16 is taken 40 feet from the flag by the camber of the green. Three putts later, and that’s three shots gone in two holes. An excellent round goes deep south. He’s not out of it by any means at -6, but his mood’s not good right now.
KH Lee shoots 67
The 31-year-old Korean, with two wins at the Byron Nelson but nothing else on his PGA Tour CV, missed the cut on his Masters debut last year. He’ll be playing this weekend for sure, though. Since we last heard from him, he’s picked up another stroke at 15, then parred his way home to sign for a 67 that equals Brooks Koepka’s best-of-day. That’s doubly impressive seeing his round threatened to go off the rails after back-to-back bogeys on 5 and 6. He goes into Moving Day at -3 for the tournament, with a first top-ten finish in a major his goal for the weekend.
Updated
Rory McIlroy continues to unravel all the way around Augusta. He tugs his approach at 11 into the drink guarding the front left of the green. He does pretty darn well to limit the damage to bogey, knocking his shot from the drop zone to ten feet and rolling in the putt. But unless he tears it up over the remaining seven holes, one suspects it doesn’t really matter. He’s now +5 and the cut is projected to fall at +2. Perhaps a combination of a strong finish and the weather may save him, but his game – as well as his spirit - appears in tatters right now.
Updated
Sam Bennett is made of the right stuff. The 22-year-old amateur sends his tee shot at 12 over the flag, then nearly makes the 12-footer coming back. Just a par, but he remains at -6, having responded to dropping his first stroke of the week at 4 with birdies at 8 and 9. Whatever happens from here on in, it’s been a performance for the ages. Just a reminder: his front nine of 32 yesterday is a Masters record for an amateur.
Some proper comic cuts from Viktor Hovland at 1. Having split the fairway with his opening tee shot, he sends his second over the back, then thins an appalling chip 60 feet past the flag! No worries! He then sends a tramliner into the cup to save his par. That raises the roof, and it’s an absurd save that will either rattle the Norwegian or convince him that this is his week! Meanwhile up on 16, it’s indeed a two-putt double bogey for Jason Day. With one shot hit fat into the water, Brooks Koepka’s lead is now five strokes.
-12: Koepka (F)
-7: Day (15), Hovland (1), Rahm
-6: Bennett -a- (12), Morikawa (12), Burns (10), Spieth (10), Young
Thanks John … and I’m back just in time to witness a disaster for Jason Day on 15. Having laid up in front of the drink, he chunks his chip straight into the briny. Then, having popped his ball down in the drop zone, he only just clears the lake the second time. Two putts coming up for a double bogey. Ach.
Brooks Koepka shoots 67
Koepka seeks to finish his round without dropping a shot but fails when his third shot leaves him plenty to do from the fringe of the green. He has to sign off at -12, though Day missing a chance to go -10 at 14 means there’s something of a let-off.
Tiger Woods is imminent, on +2, and set to tee off with Hovland and Schauffele. Handshakes all round before he sets off. And huge applause as he tees off in dark blue, and to the left-hand side of the fairway. That’ll do for now. Schauffele meanwhile lands the ball on the ninth rather than first fairway. Oops.
Willett’s championship looks done, as he’s blammed his drive into the Georgian woodlands, and is forced to lay up to have any chance of avoiding a multiple bogey. He signs off with a 6, and +6, the 2016 champion.
And with that, I can hand you back over to Scott Murray.
Updated
Rory at the ninth, par 4, his second shot up the hill looks good enough but there’s no spin and that leaves him well short for a birdie. The putt is good, but just wide, better but not enough.
Jason Day’s on his game, the Australian entertainer who was always there or thereabouts a decade ago or so at majors and won the PGA Championship in 2015. He’s set himself up for a challenge at -9 after the 13th.
On 17, Koepka from some semi-rough lays up his shot from tee to green and makes a decent fist of it. No dramas, that’s the key to his game today, though his third shot is not good and leaves him with a bit to do. Again, no dramas. And that means the rest have to play spectacularly to catch up.
Big cheer as Freddie Couples, his hair now white under that trademark cap, goes to -2 with a birdie at 6.
-12: Koepka (17)
-9: Day (13),
-7: Hovland, Rahm
-6: Bennett (10)
- 5 Morikawa (11), Burns (9)
Updated
This all seems quite cheap. Even the beer. What gives there?
Lunchtime. #themasters pic.twitter.com/DSzQ7HMCXw
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 7, 2023
Koepka on the 16th, leaves his tee shot short, bouncing off the shelf and back down the green. Perhaps no birdie this time. Danny Willett’s shot on the same hole is better but still on the fringe. The Sheffield lad, on +3 drops his putt within easy distance of par. So tooWoodland, the third member of this group. And Koepka sinks his par, too. All good.
Rory on the eighth, a par five, finds himself chopping into the green from the woods, and a birdie is a very outside chance. His step quickens, as it does when the Rory gameplan has done for a Burton. He misses the birdie and just wants this over. As might Scheffler, who makes a terrible mess of his putting on the ninth, and ends up with a six. The reigning champion is also doing the quickened walk of imminent doom.
Meanwhile, uh oh, the weather is drawing in. A split in the field could develop with Brooks scampering away with the loot.
Scottie Scheffler lopes up the fairway, looking unhappy with life. He got surprisingly done in last week’s Matchplay, and his putting is not as dead-eyed as it can be. Koepka meanwhile, looks well on it, and on 15, punches in a pitch that gives him a chance of a three, an eagle. A birdie will have to do. Nobody can do it better at the moment. Especially not Rory. More body language as he drops another. He’s four over for the day, four over for the Masters and his pilot probably needs to start thinking about the route home. Jason Day, on 11, thought he could get a shot closer, only for his putt to run out of gas.
-12: Koepka (15)
-8: Day (11), Hovland, Rahm
-5: Morikawa (9), Bennett (8), Burns
Updated
So, only a day and a half into it, and the field is having to chase hard, and that could mean trouble. And mistakes. Dustin Johnson has just missed a big putt on the ninth. He’s at -1. Justin Rose slots a nice birdie to go -4, a long accurate putt, reading the green well. Bernhard Langer, with his time-honoured belly-putter – more a chest-putter these days – misses a birdie putt at 14. His weekend looks unlikely to include grand slam golf at this stage.
Updated
Stepping into some big shoes here but here goes nothing, with Brooks Koepka fully in the swing of things and Rory Rorrying away.
Updated
KH Lee’s aforementioned fast start (see 2.39pm BST) soon went south, with consecutive bogeys at 5 and 6. But he’s rebuilt his round with great determination, picking up shots at 9, 10 and now 13 to move back up to -2. Along with Brooks Koepka, he’s the hottest property out there today, at four under for his round.
Speaking of hot properties, here’s John Brewin to take you through the next hour of play. See you again soon!
At the other end of the spectrum, Brooks Koepka takes two putts from the back of the green at 13 to extend his lead to four strokes. Meanwhile Sam Burns rattles in a 15-foot birdie effort on 6 to keep on the tail of Brooks et al. Latest leader board? Here you are!
-11: Koepka (13)
-7: Day (9), Hovland, Rahm
-5: Morikawa (7), Burns (6), Spieth (5), Young
Scottie Scheffler becomes the latest player to see his tee shot at the par-three 6th topple down the slope running through the centre of the green, miles away to the left of the flag. His 70-foot putt ends up eight feet past, but he coolly slots the one coming back to remain at -3. Rory McIlroy next, and he chuckles self-consciously as he repeats Scheffler’s mistake from the tee. However his putt, from 60 feet, is a blood-rushing abomination, racing 20 feet past the flag. He can’t make the one coming back, and yet another stroke goes. He smiles wryly for the umpteenth time this week. He’s +3 and now battling to survive the cut. As things stand, he’s one shot outside it.
Bounceback birdie for Jason Day! He cracks his drive at 9 down the middle, sends his second to 13 feet, then steers in the downhill putt he leaves himself. He rejoins the as-yet inactive pair of Viktor Hovland and Jon Rahm in second place at -7. That’s currently three behind the leader, but Brooks Koepka has just crashed a drive down the Tiger line at 13, tight on the left, nearly making it around the corner. He nearly slam-dunks his second in for a Jeff Maggert-esque albatross, but his ball topples off the back of the green. He’ll still have a chip, maybe a putt, for eagle, and you’d expect him to get up and down for birdie at least given the way he’s playing.
Updated
An ugly double bogey for Dustin Johnson on 7. Out of position from the tee, and short of the green in two, he chunks a chip into a bunker, then having splashed out, misses a tiddler for bogey. The 2020 champion slips back to level par. The cut is currently projected at +2, though there’s a fair chance the weather will assist in moving that further out.
Brooks Koepka can’t make his birdie putt, yet another effort shaving the hole. But he taps in for a par at one of Augusta’s toughest tests, and the two par fives are looming. On Sky, commentator Ewen Murray recalls the time Louis Oosthuizen got the best of the draw at the weather-affected 2010 Open and established an unassailable lead. “When Koepka has that ‘too cool for school’ swagger, the rest of the players are seemingly just along for the ride,” notes Joe Pearson … who is not necessarily incorrect, but quite a few big names will have something to say about that, not least 2015 champ Jordan Spieth who has just followed up birdie at 2 with another at 3.
-10: Koepka (12)
-7: Hovland, Rahm
-6: Day (8)
-5: Morikawa (6), Spieth (3), Young
Updated
Brooks Koepka shows no signs of nerves or doubt. Netflix Brooks all gone! He eases his tee shot at the mind-boggling par-three 12th over the flag and stops it dead. He’ll have a 15-foot look at birdie and a four-stroke lead over Viktor Hovland and Jon Rahm in second spot. No Jason Day there, though; he almost whiffs a lob up to the 8th green, and the mistake leads to a bogey that drops him back to -6. Koepka eagled that one, you’ll recall.
Rory McIlroy pulls his tee shot at the par-three 4th over the back of the green. A lovely chip up threatens to track all the way to the hole and drop, but it stops one turn short. So close to a birdie that would have given him some much-needed change of momentum, but one way or another, it’s just not happening for Rory around Augusta. He remains at +2, and looks just as frustrated as he did when shipping strokes at 2 and 3.
A first dropped shot of the tournament by Sam Bennett. The record-breaking 22-year-old amateur sends his tee shot at 4 over the back of the green. A slightly heavy handed chip leaves him too much to do from 11 feet. He slips back to -4.
Rory McIlroy is in serious danger of becoming a complete non-event. If he keeps on the way he’s going, he won’t be making the cut. Having bogeyed 2, he bumbles a clumsy chip over the green at 3, and he can’t get up and down to salvage his par. He’s +2 and talk of the career slam can wait another year.
Updated
Birdie for Jordan Spieth at 2. His playing partners Tony Finau and Tommy Fleetwood also make one. They’re -4, -4 and -1 respectively. Fleetwood’s birdie was the pick in terms of pure entertainment: a tee shot flayed into the trees down the left, a fine percentage-playing second directed into the bunker at the front of the green, a godawful splash out, and a 20-foot putt rattled into the centre of the cup. Southport’s finest has been mooching along this week without making too many waves, but he’s far from out of this.
Another hole, another big birdie opportunity for Brooks Koepka. He screws his approach at 10 over the flag and back to eight feet. His tickled putt down the treacherous green stubbornly stays high on the left. Just a par, an almost identical story to 9. For the sake of a couple of millimetres here and there, Koepka would now be five clear. As it is, his lead is just – just! – three strokes.
-10: Koepka (10)
-7: Day (7), Hovland, Rahm
-5: Morikawa (4), Bennett -a- (3), Burns (2), Young
-4: Woodland (10), Finau (2), Lowry, Schauffele, Scott
McIlroy and Scheffler take turns to seriously underhit their putts. Both sink the testing knee-knockers that remain, but that’s a bogey for McIlroy at 2 and par for Scheffler at 3. They’re +1 and -3 respectively, and neither appear in a good frame of mind. In a happier place: Collin Morikawa, who follows up a birdie at 2 with a rare birdie at 4. All of a sudden, the 2020 PGA and 2021 Open champion is -5.
A couple of very careless chips by a pair of world-class superstars. On 2, Rory McIlroy, over the back of the green in three, tries to be too cute and only just reaches the fringe. Unless he sinks a 20-foot putt, he’ll be dropping a shot on a hole that was averaging 4.6 yesterday. Meanwhile on 3, Scottie Scheffler also fluffs his lines, his ball only just refusing to topple back down the big slope at the front of the green. He’ll have two putts from 25 feet to save par.
Brooks Koepka looks like he can do little wrong. He sends his wedge into 9 over the flag and spins it back, pin high, to eight feet. But his birdie putt turns to the left at the last, and somehow fails to topple into the cup. He remains at -10. Does that missed putt qualify as doing wrong? Not really. Incidentally, a nice stat courtesy of Sky Sports: Koepka is the fastest player to reach double figures under par since Jordan Spieth in 2015. Spieth did it in 23 holes; Koepka has taken a comparatively slothful 26. Oh Brooks! How could you be so indolent!
Scottie Scheffler missed a series of putts high on the left yesterday. He’s up to the same tricks again today. A very makeable ten footer on 2 slips by, and there goes a big birdie chance. He remains at -3, and the defending champion stomps off chuntering away to himself in irritation. Not a good sign from a player who normally exudes a supernatural supercool.
Updated
Koepka isn’t the only one making big par saves. Jason Day finds the sand down the left of 5, a no-no from the tee. He’s forced to lay up. But he screeches his approach from 150 yards to seven feet, attacking a flag positioned atop a narrow plateau. His bravery pays dividends, and he rolls in the putt to remain at -7. Meanwhile Justin Rose hands back the shot he picked up a 2, failing to hold the green at 3 with his chip up, a mistake that leads to bogey. He’s back to -3.
… er, make that five off the lead! Brooks Koepka batters two big ones into the middle of the par-five 8th green. He’s pin high, facing a fairly straight 13-footer for eagle. No bother. In it goes! Remember that Netflix series? Where did that Brooks Koepka, wracked by injury, doubt and self-loathing, go? Not sure. But he’s gone!
-10: Koepka (8)
-7: Day (4), Hovland, Rahm
-5: Bennett -a- (1), Young
The big story of Thursday was arguably the effort of 22-year-old Texan Sam Bennett. The first amateur to end the first day in the top ten since Ryan Moore in 2005, his front nine of 32 was the lowest recorded by an amateur in Masters history. He finished up with a blemish-free 68, and he’s wasted no time in building on that this morning. An approach at 1 into the heart of the green, followed by a 20-foot putt that got the gallery properly going for the first time this morning. If Augusta had a roof, it would currently be coptering over North Carolina. Bennett moves to -5, just three off the lead!
Rory McIlroy is out and about. If his opening drive is anything to go by, he’ll be making sure today that he won’t die wondering. He opens the old shoulders and absolutely leathers his tee shot down the middle. A softly-softly approach didn’t do him too much good yesterday. Meanwhile up on the green, Scottie Scheffler can’t make his long par putt and slips back to -3.
Updated
Jason Day clips his tee shot at 4 to 15 feet. Had he given his gentle right-to-left sliding putt one more joule of energy, he’d have made a third birdie in succession. As it is, the par keeps him at -7. The November 2020 champion Dustin Johnson birdies 2 to rise to -2. And there’s trouble at the opening hole for the defending champ Scottie Scheffler, who sends his 3-wood into the trees down the right, then finds a bunker to the left of the green, and upon splashing out catches a downslope that takes his ball on a sharp right-hand turn, 30 feet from the hole. Big long par putt coming up.
Gary Woodland, having taken one step forward early in the round, takes his second step back. He follows up that bogey at 5 with a careless one at 7, nearly flying the green from a greenside bunker, a mistake that he can’t rectify by rolling in the long par saver. He drops to -3. Passing him the other way: the 2017 runner-up Justin Rose, who birdies the par-five 2nd to move to -4.
Yep! In goes Jason Day’s birdie putt on 3, and the 2011 runner-up moves into a tie for second.
-8: Koepka (6)
-7: Day (3), Hovland, Rahm
-5: Young
-4: Woodland (6), Scheffler, Bennett (a), Burns, Lowry, Schauffele, Scott
Updated
We spoke earlier: do not doubt Brooks Koepka. He rolls his 64-foot putt at 6 up over the slope to six feet. In goes the par putt. Koepka saunters off having not broken a single bead of sweat. He remains at -8. Meanwhile back on the par-five 2nd, Jason Day finds the heart of the green in two big swipes, then nearly drains a 60-footer for eagle. He’ll make do with birdie that moves him up to -6 … and he could soon be moving even closer to the leader Koepka, having just chipped his second at the short par-four 3rd to three feet.
Updated
A brutal start to the second round for Tyrrell Hatton. The 31-year-old from High Wycombe finished second behind Scottie Scheffler at the Players last month, shooting 29 on the back nine on Sunday, a tournament record. An opening round of 71 yesterday will have given him further encouragement for this week; however he’s just traversed Tea Olive like the Keystone Kops in their Ford Model T. Zig-zagging from the trees on the left to the gallery on the right, then flubbing a chip, he ends up with a double-bogey six and drops back to +1 overall. Hey, a farcical start to the round didn’t do Jon Rahm any harm yesterday. That’s what Hatton, another notorious hot-head, will need to tell himself.
Trouble for the leader Brooks Koepka on the par-three 6th. He pitches his tee shot ten feet to the left of the flag. Problem is, the spin takes his ball back and to the left, then down a slope that takes his ball 64 feet from the flag. The fine margins at Augusta National. Another big par save coming up?
Updated
A step backwards for Gary Woodland. From the centre of the 5th fairway, he sends his iron short and right of the green. He spins and waves his club through 360 degrees in wild anger, then overhits a 55-foot putt from the fringe. He misses the one coming back, and drops to -4. Par for his partner Koepka, whose caddie may or may not have been counting Woodland’s shots: “Five.”
KH Lee is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, both of his victories coming at the AT&T Byron Nelson. But he’s done absolutely nothing of note in the majors. He debuted at Augusta last year, only to miss the cut, but he looks in good shape to make it this week, opening his round today with birdies at 1, 2 and now 4. After a disappointing 74 yesterday, that lifts the 31-year-old South Korean to -1 for the tournament. Byron Nelson, just for the record, won the Masters in 1937 and 1942.
Another street-fighting up and down for Brooks Koepka. His tee shot at the par-three 4th only just creeps over the bunker guarding the front of the green, and his putt from the fringe isn’t all that. He leaves himself a testing six-footer, but rolls another par saver into the cup, and remains at -8. Meanwhile on Sky, the European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald gives his verdict on the rules controversy surrounding Koepka and his caddie Ricky Elliott, who yesterday was caught on camera saying “five” to Gary Woodland and his caddie just after hitting a 5-iron into the heart of the 15th green. “It did seem quite clear that there was some information given,” says Donald. “That one seemed clear … you’ve got to take the word of Brooks and Ricky.” And indeed that’s what the Masters committee have done. The ruling: no breach of the rules.
The weather, then. Thunderstorms are expected today around 1pm in Augusta (6pm BST) and may last for three or four hours. There could be a few spots of rain before that, too. So don’t bet the farm on the second round being completed today. Saturday shouldn’t be affected by thunderstorms, but it will be cold and very rainy. Sunday should be decent enough, but despite that, and the fancy sub-air system designed to suck moisture from the turf, plans are being put in place just in case Monday finish is required for the first time since 1983. Much will depend on how long today’s expected storm delay lasts, and how heavy and incessant the rain is tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
More fool me for doubting the temperature of the blood in Brooks Koepka’s veins. His lob up from the back of 3 is delicate enough, landing softly on the fringe, yet still rolls ten feet past the cup. No matter, because he rolls in the right-to-left slider, dead weight, and blows out in relief as he secures his par. He remains in sole possession of the lead at -8. With the weather threatening to mix everything up – more on that soon, promise – Koepka has spoken of his desire to take as much advantage of his early start and the milder conditions while he can: “I don’t think my score really gives me much of an advantage. Maybe my tee time with the weather coming up, I might be able to squeak out a few more holes than everybody else before it starts dumping. That’s probably the biggest advantage I’ve got going for me right now.”
More good news for LIV enthusiasts! Phil Mickelson sinks a 30-footer on the 1st for birdie. He moves to -2. But as Greg Norman’s tanks prepare to trundle over the manicured greens of Augusta National, a possible setback on 3, where Brooks Koepka chips up from the bottom of the bank at the short par-four, only to bundle his ball over the green and down the swale on the other side. Still a chance to get up and down to save his par, but there’s not a lot of green to play with, so he’s got a job on here.
Updated
Good morning Augusta! The first thing to say … before we start harping on about the incoming weather … is that we have a new leader of the Masters. Brooks Koepka, who finished runner-up here in 2019 and is a four-time major winner – let’s not define him solely by the tour he’s on – has birdied 2 to move a shot clear of his overnight co-leaders Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland. That’s courtesy of his birdie at the par-five 2nd. He sent his approach into a bunker to the right of the green, and left himself a downhill lie, but splashed out to eight feet and made the putt. He’s going round with the 2019 US Open champion Gary Woodland, who also birdied 2 to move into a tie for fourth. Movement already!
-8: Koepka (2)
-7: Hovland, Rahm
-5: Woodland (2), Day, Young
-4: Scheffler, Bennett (a), Burns, Lowry, Schauffele, Scott
Preamble
Yesterday this happened …
… which means the top of the leader board after 18 holes looks like this …
-7: Brooks Koepka, Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm
-5: Jason Day, Cameron Young
-4: Gary Woodland, Scottie Scheffler, Sam Bennett (a), Sam Burns, Shane Lowry, Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott
-3: Justin Rose, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth, Tony Finau
-2: Sepp Straka, Ryan Fox, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tom Kim, Scott Stallings, Chris Kirk, Keegan Bradley, Justin Thomas, Cameron Smith
-1: Phil Mickelson, Harris English, Joaquin Niemann, Tyrrell Hatton, Dustin Johnson, Max Homa, Fred Couples, Patrick Reed, Patrick Cantlay, Hideki Matsuyama, Im Sung-jae
… and so there’s a fair chance Brooks Koepka will soon be leading outright because he goes out early as evidenced by this …
(US unless stated, all times BST, a denotes amateur)
1pm José María Olazábal (Sp), Cameron Champ
1.12pm Charl Schwartzel (SA), Taylor Moore, Aldrich Potgieter (SA, a)
1.24pm JT Poston, Francesco Molinari (It), Bryson DeChambeau
1.36pm Bernhard Langer (Ger), Mito Pereira (Chl), Ben Carr (a)
1.48pm Danny Willett (Eng), Gary Woodland, Brooks Koepka
2pm Sepp Straka (Aut), Harold Varner III, Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Kor)
2.12pm Phil Mickelson, Tom Hoge, Si Woo Kim (Kor)
2.24pm Billy Horschel, Harris English, Ryan Fox (NZ)
2.36pm Zach Johnson, Jason Day (Aus), Gordon Sargent (a)
2.48pm Brian Harman, Joaquin Niemann (Chl), Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
3.06pm Dustin Johnson, Corey Conners (Can), Justin Rose (Eng)
3.18pm Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Collin Morikawa, Will Zalatoris
3.30pm Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa, Sam Bennett (a)
3.42pm Tom Kim (Kor), Rory McIlroy (NI), Sam Burns
3.54pm Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Tony Finau
4.06pm Mike Weir (Can), Kevin Na
4.18pm Vijay Singh (Fij), Scott Stallings, Matthew McClean (NI, a)
4.30pm Sandy Lyle (Sco), Jason Kokrak, Talor Gooch
4.42pm Fred Couples, Russell Henley, Alex Noren (Swe)
4.54pm Adrian Meronk (Pol), Kevin Kisner, Louis Oosthuizen (SA)
5.12pm Larry Mize, Min Woo Lee (Aus), Harrison Crowe (Aus, a)
5.24pm Sergio García (Sp), Kazuki Higa (Jpn), Keith Mitchell
5.36pm Patrick Reed, Adam Svensson (Can), Sahith Theegala
5.48pm Shane Lowry (Ire), Mackenzie Hughes (Can), Thomas Pieters (Bel)
6pm Bubba Watson, Seamus Power (Ire), Mateo Fernández de Oliveira (Arg, a)
6.12pm Abraham Ancer (Mex), Chris Kirk, Keegan Bradley
6.24pm Tiger Woods, Viktor Hovland (Nor), Xander Schauffele
6.36pm Adam Scott (Aus), Patrick Cantlay, Kurt Kitayama
6.48pm Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm (Sp), Cameron Young
7pm Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Cameron Smith (Aus), Sungjae Im (Korea)
… so stay tuned here for the latest instalment of the three-way existential tussle between Golf, LIV and Perspective. It’s on!
