World No 1 Scottie Scheffler heads into moving day atop the leaderboard at six-under alongside Bryson DeChambeau and Max Homa as Rory McIlroy’s quest for a long-awaited major fell flat during a difficult second round at The Masters.
With winds up, conditions proved extremely difficult at Augusta National on Friday but Scheffler’s disciplined level-par round saw him remain in the hunt for his second green jacket.
DeChambeau had held the overnight lead after a sparkling 65 on Thursday, but a bogey on the last hole saw the LIV Golfer record a one-over-par 73 to match the clubhouse lead set by Max Homa who put together a consummate display of ball-striking en route to a one-under-par 71.
McIlroy’s bid to end a ten-year major drought faltered following his disappointing birdie-less round of 77, while Jon Rahm’s hopes of defending his Masters title are all but over after the Spaniard’s four-over-par round of 76 left him 11 shots back at the halfway stage. Tiger Woods, meanwhile, battled through 23 holes on Friday to make a record-breaking 24th consecutive cut at Augusta.
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Rory McIlroy – ‘My swing felt horrific’
“Really tough day,” the Northern Irishman reflected after his round. “Just hard to make a score and just sort of trying to make as many pars as possible. I felt like I did okay. I made that bogey on 14, and even just to par the last four holes and get in the clubhouse and have a tee time tomorrow, I’m sort of pretty happy with. Scoring was very difficult.
“I mean, most of the field couldn’t really get anything going. It was just a matter of trying to hang in there as best you could.”
On the length of his round: “It felt long, yeah. My golf swing felt horrific for the last six or seven holes, just from hitting around. Especially that 11th hole. On 11 it felt like it took an hour to play that hole. Yeah, it was stop and start, hard to get into a rhythm with the conditions and obviously how slow the play was as well.”
Luke Baker13 April 2024 13:46
Jack Nicklaus says concentration lapses behind Rory McIlroy not winning Masters
Jack Nicklaus criticised Rory McIlroy for a lack of concentration as the 88th Masters belatedly got under way at Augusta National.
Overnight rain and the threat of thunderstorms saw the start of play pushed back from 8am to 1030am, with honorary starters Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson kicking off proceedings 20 minutes earlier by hitting tee shots on the first before retiring to the clubhouse.
The trio then gave a lengthy press conference before Nicklaus joined “Live from the Masters” on the Golf Channel and discussed why McIlroy had yet to win a green jacket to complete a career grand slam.
Luke Baker13 April 2024 13:33
Scottie Scheffler says he will withdraw from The Masters if pregnant wife Meredith goes into labour
Scottie Scheffler shares a lead of The Masters at the halfway stage, but with his wife Meredith only weeks away from giving birth to their first child, has left a clear message that he’ll depart at a moment’s notice if necessary.
Luke Baker13 April 2024 13:19
Nick Faldo believes Rory McIlroy has at least another decade of Masters chances
It may not come together this week but Sir Nick Faldo believes Rory McIlroy has at least another decade of opportunities to win the Masters, despite the scar tissue from his previous attempts.
McIlroy famously squandered a four-shot lead in the final round in 2011 and has recorded six top 10s at Augusta National since victory in the 2014 Open left him needing a green jacket to complete a career grand slam.
The world number two finished second behind Scottie Scheffler in 2022 thanks to a thrilling final round of 64 and is second favourite behind the same player this week after finishing third in the Texas Open on Sunday.
Luke Baker13 April 2024 13:07
Jon Rahm speaking to Sky Sports
Rahm said: “It is a very difficult set-up. It would have been very difficult anyway without the win but that just adds a whole level to it. You have to play really good golf on get lucky with the gusts.
“It was a bad day for me not to have it. I was fighting my swing all day. But at the end of the day, I have made the cut and have two rounds to make up 12 shots. I feel it has been done before – if the conditions aren’t too easy tomorrow, maybe I can make a push for the win.”
Luke Baker13 April 2024 12:52
Masters tee times for round three
Here are some selected Masters tee times for round three:
(All times BST – golfers USA unless stated)
First group – 1435: Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn)
1525: Jon Rahm (Esp), Grayson Murray
1555: Camilo Villegas (Col), Rory McIlroy (Nir)
1625: Phil Mickelson, Sahith Theegala
1735: Brooks Koepka, Taylor Moore
1745: Tiger Woods, Tyrrell Hatton (Eng)
1755: Xander Schauffele, Eric Cole
1815: Sepp Straka (Aut), Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng)
1855: Danny Willett (Eng), Ryan Fox (Nzl)
1905: Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood (Eng)
1915: Ludvig Åberg (Swe), Matthieu Pavon (Fra)
1925: Cameron Davis (Aus), Collin Morikawa
1935: Scottie Scheffler, Nicolai Hojgaard (Den)
Final group – 1945: Max Homa, Bryson DeChambeau
Luke Baker13 April 2024 12:38
Scottie Scheffler reflects on round two
Scottie Scheffler gives his thoughts on his Friday performance
Luke Baker13 April 2024 12:29
Who is Bryson DeChambeau? The Masters leader who is friends with Donald Trump
Ever since Bryson DeChambeau first made his mark in the world of golf, the “mad scientist” has always done things in his own unique way. Whether through his meticulous studies of golfing theory and an obsessive desire to break down the mechanisms of the perfect swing, or his unparalleled commitment to “bulking season” and an unprecedented physical transformation that added even more power to his monstrous drive, the Californian has left no stone unturned in his relentless pursuit of perfection across 18 holes.
His best-ever start to the Masters, taking a one-shot lead at 7-under-par into the second round Friday, was perhaps the clearest sign yet that DeChambeau is about to reap the benefits of his tireless work. DeChambeau is already a major champion, romping to a dominant six-shot victory at the 2020 US Open at Winged Foot, but the 30-year-old showed a different side to his game as he put the finishing touches on an opening round of 65. Can DeChambeau conquer Augusta National, and tame the danger that lurks behind the tranquillity of Amen Corner?
But it takes more than a powerful drive to become a Masters champion, and DeChambeau has learned that the hard way.
Luke Baker13 April 2024 12:16
Armchair fan’s quick guide to The Masters at Augusta National
Luke Baker13 April 2024 12:05
Bernhard Langer forced to delay Masters farewell until 2025
Golf legend Bernhard Langer has confirmed he now expects to play the Masters for the final time in 2025 after the two-time champion’s original plan for a swansong this week was cruelly dashed after he suffered a torn Achilles in February.
The 66-year-old German picked up the injury playing pickleball and has been forced to miss significant time, sparking a change in plans regarding how he will say goodbye to Augusta National.
“Most likely, but I haven’t announced it yet,” Langer said when asked by Reuters if the 2025 edition would be his final Masters start. “I hope so, but it all depends how the recovery is going.”
Luke Baker13 April 2024 11:55