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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The Masters 2024
A rare bright moment for Shane Lowry on the back nine, allowing him a chance to flash that familiar grin. The green jacket he described as a bucket list item last week won’t be on his shoulders tomorrow but that’ll be a nice memory to take back to Ireland.
Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2024 20:46
The Masters 2024
No dice for Scottie Scheffler, his birdie putt ducking under the hole to keep his lead to a single shot.
Collin Morikawa’s par putt on six fails to take the right exit. He slips back to -5.
Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2024 20:44
The Masters 2024
Scottie Scheffler is back to it, dead straight with his drive, dead straight with his approach, and a ten-footer in the same direction awaits him when he gets to the fifth green.
Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2024 20:38
Rory McIlroy (+3) speaks to Sky Sports after his round of 71
“It’s still pretty tough out there. Some of the hole locations are really tricky, and the wind is less than yesterday but still there. As the day goes on, and the wind is up and the sun is out, the greens are going to get firmer and firmer. It’ll be tricky out there at the end of the day.
“It was so stop start out there last night, I just needed to find some rhythm with my golf swing again. It felt better today, it was nice to go out and hit the ball a bit better and make some birdies. Not quite as many as I wanted to, but a bit better.
“I’ll go out there and give it a go. If the conditions stay the same, you pick up four, five, six shots, you are going to get yourself up the leaderboard. Hopefully I’ll finish the week on a positive note.”
Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2024 20:36
Scotie Scheffler loses a shot
Our leader makes a decent fist of saving par on four, but his putt stays up. A tap-in bogey, and back down towards the trio behind…
…which quickly becomes a twosome, Bryson DeChambeau shedding a stroke on the third green.
Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2024 20:30
The Masters 2024
The best of the early-ish finishers is Chris Kirk, whose 68 looks rather useful indeed. He’s only at +1, and thus likely to figure, but it shows that there are lower rounds to be had even if overall scoring remains limited.
Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2024 20:27
Rory McIlroy in with a 71
A good final putt from Rory McIlroy, and a decent enough 71, but the damage was done yesterday. He’ll go into Masters Sunday out of the picture at +3.
Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2024 20:22
Scottie Scheffler extends lead
Better to be lucky than good? Scottie Scheffler seems to be both, utilising that free drop after a wild tee shot on the third and then draining a lengthy putt to snare a birdie. If that putter is working over the next two days, he’ll be mightily, mightily difficult to stop.
Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2024 20:19
The Masters
Bother for Scottie Scheffler on the third, in amongst the pine needles and, it would seem, having to take a drop with his ball unplayable.
Bryson DeChambeau has a chance to move level with the leader on the previous green…just shy. Nicely judged from the fringe but tucking past the frontside of the hole.
Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2024 20:14
Defending champion Jon Rahm frustrated on day three of The Masters
The Spaniard’s shock move to the Saudi-backed breakaway came after he had previously pledged his loyalty to the PGA Tour and criticised LIV’s 54-hole format, with no cut and a shotgun start as “not a golf tournament”.
The two-time major winner has failed to win any of the five LIV events he has played to date, but travelled to Augusta on the back of finishing fourth in Miami on Sunday and winning the team event at Doral.
However, the Ryder Cup star was never a factor in the year’s first major and added a third round of 72 on Saturday to remain five over par after previous scores of 73 and 76.
Harry Latham-Coyle13 April 2024 20:10