Masters live leaderboard 2023: Follow the progress and latest news at Augusta National
Tiger Woods experienced the best and worst of Augusta on day three - creating history before dunking two balls in the water and looking like a broken man before play was called off early.
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Tiger Woods grabbed a slice of history on Saturday night (AEDT) at Augusta National. Then he dunked two balls in the water. Talk about an anti-climax.
Woods barely made the cut at the US Masters. When he did, he equaled the record of Fred Couples and Gary Player by making the cut for the 23rd consecutive time.
It was another moment in time for the 15-timer major winner. Woods, however, barely had time to digest the significance of the moment before reality set in.
By day’s end, he probably wished he was at home, tucked up in bed. Anywhere other than Augusta, which was exacting its pound of flesh from the field.
Tiger Woods. Painful to watch. 😬 pic.twitter.com/kMV9WxViQo
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) April 8, 2023
The conditions were never going to help Woods, whose body these days is held together by titanium and sticky tape. Rain and cold are the enemy of the aged and injured.
Still, it was a shock to look at the scoreboard when play was brought to a halt midway through the third round and see Woods in 54th place. In other words, last spot.
The 15-time major winner was nine over. Through seven holes in his third round, Woods had shot six over including two double bogeys, on both occasions dumping the ball in the water.
He looked in obvious discomfort. His swing was stiff. To steal a line from Triple M commentator Anthony Maroon, he looked like he needed a Bex and a good lie down.
Officials mercifully called off play when rain started pooling on the greens. No doubt Woods breathed a sigh of relief.
He had only scraped into the third round by the barest of margins and he had one of his best mates to thank for it.
When he finished his second round and signed for a 73, it left him at three over and relying on other scores to continue in the field.
Thankfully for Woods, his good mate Justin Thomas came to the party. Thomas bogeyed the final two holes of his second round to sign for a 78, leaving him at four over and ensuring Woods’ tournament continued into the third round.
Thomas is one of Woods’ closest friends on tour - earlier this year they were in the headlines when Woods handed Thomas a tampon after outdriving him in the opening round of the Genesis Invitational.
Woods later apologised for causing any offence for the incident, which some suggested had sexist overtones.
“It was supposed to be all fun and games and obviously it hasn’t turned out that way,” Woods told reporters.
“If I offended anybody, it was not the case, it was just friends having fun. As I said, if I offended anybody in any way, shape or form, I’m sorry. It was not intended to be that way. It was just we play pranks on one another all the time and virally I think this did not come across that way, but between us it was -- it’s different.”
At the end of his second round at the Masters, as he waited to find out whether he would make the cut, Woods spoke about his love for Augusta National.
“I’ve always loved this golf course, and I love playing this event,” Woods said.
“Obviously I’ve missed a couple with some injuries, but I’ve always wanted to play here. I’ve loved it. I wish I get a chance to play two more rounds.”
By the end of the day, no-one would have blamed Woods for taking those comments back.
AUSSIES NEED A MASTERS MIRACLE
Jason Day will head into the final day of the US Masters nine shots behind leader Brooks Koepka, his hopes hanging by the barest of threads after play was suspended due to inclement weather midway through the third round on Sunday morning (AEDT).
Day was the best placed of the Australian contingent at four under through seven holes when play was stopped for the day, having started with a promising birdie at the second before dropping consecutive shots at the 4th and 5th.
Cameron Smith (-1) and Adam Scott (E) were a further three and four shots back respectively, needing to make up ground in the latter stages of their third round if they are to have any chance of reeling in runaway leader Koepka.
The former world No.1, who won the last event on the LIV Tour, was 13 under through six holes, having been one of the few players not to fall foul of the weather.
Rain lashed the course and officials were left with little choice but to put an end to the action as water began to pool on the fairways and greens.
The players will return late on Sunday night (AEDT) to complete their third rounds. They will then take a quick break before heading out for their final rounds.
Day had begun the third round seven shots behind Koepka after a late capitulation on day two and he mitigated some of that damage when he made a smart putt at the 2nd to move back to six under.
However, he sprayed his tee sots at the 4th and 5th and even his heralded short game couldn’t save him.
Scott and Smith, meanwhile, both returned to the course on Saturday night (AEDT) to complete their second rounds before taking a short break and heading out for their third.
Smith finished his second round at two under and then struggled to make a putt early in his third round. He finally made birdie at the par five 8th but handed it back at the 11th before watching his tee shot find the water at the par three 12th.
Smith walked off with double bogey to move back to even par before a birdie at the par five 13th got him back to one under.
Scott’s putter was again the bane of his existence but he managed to shoot consecutive birdies before play was halted due to the bad weather.
Koepka was four shots clear of Spain’s Jon Rahm with amateur Sam Bennett a further three shots back.
Earlier in the day, amateur Harrison Crowe (75-77) and Min Woo Lee (75-75) completed their second rounds, with both missing the cut.
Asked for a highlight from his first Masters appearance, Crowe said: “I think one of them definitely has to be walking up the last wth Larry (Mize).
“It is his last Masters and he has done a lot for the game of golf and a lot for this place. For him to be playing however many years he has played here is pretty incredible.
“To be part if that and walking up the 18th …. It was pretty incredible to be part of that group. He is awesome.”
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