Masters 2023: Follow the progress and latest news on all the big names at Augusta National
Jason Day watched as his Masters dreams disappeared in the water before play was suspended due to high winds and heavy rain. Check out the leaderboard
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Second-round play was halted until day three at the 87th Masters after a storm with gusty winds, heavy rain and lightning struck Augusta National, toppling three trees but causing no injuries.
There were 39 players who were unable to complete their second rounds put will attempt to do so when play is scheduled to resume at 8am Saturday (local time).
Severe storms are in Saturday’s forecast as well, but officials hope to be able to make the cut to the low 50 and level for the final two rounds.
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After a 21-minute stoppage Friday brought a return to competition, play was suspended for a final time at 4:22 p.m. after trees fell near the 17th hole.
Remarkable footage has emerged of a tree falling in the vicinity of spectators during the second round of the US Masters at Augusta National.
The footage was captured live on the coverage of the tournament and posted on social media. It is understood it was adjacent to the 17th tee, prompting spectators to flee as they did their best to avoid being hurt by falling debris.
Play had earlier been halted due to inclement weather. Officials resumed play as the weather cleared but players are currently off the course after play was suspended for a second time.
Augusta National has a rule that spectators aren’t allowed to run but they were left with no choice after a tree fell on the course during the second round.
Early reports suggested no-one was injured but it was only by the grace of God. The incident was captured on the broadcast coverage of the world’s most famous golf tournament and subsequently went viral on social media.
Spectators could be seen fleeing the incident, which took place adjacenct to the 17th tee, as the tree crashed to the ground. Play had earlier been suspended due to inclement weather. It was suspended again later in the day due to flashes of lightning.
Masters officials have been contacted for comment.
DAY’S DREAM DROWNS IN WATERY GRAVE
Jason Day’s Masters dream drowned in a watery grave. It sunk before he even got to Saturday. Somewhere at the bottom of the pond protecting the 15th green at Augusta National is a ball with Day’s mark on it. What he would give to have that ball - and that shot - back.
Day was cruising in his second round of the Masters at nine under, well within striking distance of leader Brooks Koepka. Then he arrived at the par five 15th, christened Firethorn after the small, thorny tree that is native to southern Europe and can be found lining the fairway.
It certainly proved a thorn in Day’s side. The hole that is, not the plant. Day was on the charge. He had birdied the 11th by chipping in with a shot that brought back painful memories of Masters winner Larry Mize’s shot to beat Greg Norman in 1987. Day added another birdie on the 13th and suddenly all eyes were on the leaderboard.
Koepka was looking over his shoulder. Not for much longer though as Day’s round took a sudden - and wet - turn for the worse. Day’s disaster started when he pulled his drive slightly left from the 15th tee, leaving him with little choice but to lay up short of the water.
He then pulled out his 60-degree wedge, took a massive chunk of Augusta’s manicured turf and dropped his ball in the pond at the front of the green.
“It wasn’t the first one I hit fat today, unfortunately,” Day said.
“Looking back on it, it would have been nice to get a good drive away there so I could hit the green in two but then you’re left and you have to chip out to the right.”
Day then added two more bogeys in the remaining three holes to finish his round at five under, seven back of Koepka.
Oh, what could have been? The 15th is famous for the four wood played by Gene Sarazen nearly 90 years ago. It was dubbed the ‘shot heard around the world’. Day’s shot will be quickly forgotten.
“Shoot, seven shots is a long way,” Day said.
“But there’s still 36 holes to go. I’m just going to not even focus on that, just got to focus on just hitting the best shot I can at the time and then add them up after the next few days.
“I’ve just got off the golf course and I’m thoroughly annoyed with myself, and I’m sitting here answering questions, and that can be difficult because it’s in the heat of the moment, and I’m trying to get ahold of myself.”
Day did his best to sound optimistic but there was defeat in his voice.
“Who knows what happens over the next few days,” he said.
“Obviously I know where Brooks is, but you never know how the weather pans out and then you could find something over the next couple days.”
He will need to. The talent is there. You only had to go back to the 11th and chip in from the side of the green. Mize did the same 36 years ago on a day that Australians will forever remember for the loser that day. Norman was on his way to a green jacket until Mize intervened with a shot that became part of Masters folklore.
“Actually to be honest I was trying to just get it up-and-down and fortunately, I hit a really nice chip shot, and it went in, which was good,” Day said.
“That was kind of the nice kick in the right direction going off on the back side that I needed just because I wasn’t hitting it as good as yesterday.
“Sometimes you need things like that to go your way.”
The euphoria didn’t last long. Day needs a miracle over the weekend but the weather is closing in and you never know.
“I’m actually very disappointed with how I finished,” Day said.
“Being decently close to where Brooks was going into the weekend, you never know how it goes.”
6.25AM: WOODS STRUGGLING TO MAKE THE CUT
Tiger Woods is struggling to make the cut midway through his second round at the US Masters. Woods, who may be playing for the final time at Augusta National, is right on the cut line at two over.
The 15-time major winner has had one bogey and one birdie thorough 10 holes, leaving him 14 shots behind leader Brooks Koepka.
As it stands, Woods will play on the weekend but he needs to hold his nerve over his remaining eight holes to book his place in the third round.
6.20AM: SCOTT TREADING WATER MIDWAY THROUGH ROUND
Adam Scott is even for the day and four under for the tournament midway through his second round at the US Masters.
Scott started the day with a bogey at his third hole at Augusta National but picked up a shot at the par four 8th.
He is eight shots behind leader Brooks Koepka and one shot behind the leading Australian, Jason Day, who started the day exactly as he finished.
At one point, Day threatened to give Koepka a fright but then dropped four shots in his final four holes, undoing much of his good early work.
World No.5 Cameron Smith is also midway through his second round and remains at two under, having rescued his round with an eagle at the par five 8th.
Play has resumed after a short delay due to inclement weather.
11:44PM AEST - DAY MAKES EARLY BIRDIE AT MASTERS
Jason Day is back within two shots of the lead at the US Masters after making an early birdie in his second round at Augusta National.
Day, who started the day in a share of fourth at five under, made birdie at the par five 2nd to close the gap to leader Brooks Koepka (-8).
Day made par at the 1st but played his second hole to perfection as he picked up where he left off in the opening round.
Day, with three top five finishes to his name at the Masters, is the only Australian in the morning groups and is expected to get the best of the conditions given heavy rain is predicted for later in the day.
Koepka started his second round in a share of the lead with Viktor Hovland and Jon Rahm but made an early birdie to take sole ownership of top spot.
11:26PM AEST - DAY GETS UNDERWAY WITH NERVY PAR AT MASTERS
Jason Day has begun his second round at the US Masters with a shaky par and remains three shots behind leader Brooks Koepka.
Day (-5) lost his opening drive to the right but managed to walk off the green with his score intact after making a nerveless putt for par.
Day started his round three shots behind leader Brooks Koepka, who has one birdie through his opening four holes to get to eight under.
Day has three top-five finishes at the Masters and is the first Australian to take to the course under grey and threatening skies. Rain has been predicted for later in the day, when the other four Australians will begin their second rounds.
Adam Scott (-4) is the best placed of that quartet ahead of Cameron Smith (-2), Harrison Crowe (+3) and Min Woo Lee (+3).
10:53PM AEST - KOEPKA OFF TO FLYING START
Joint leader Brooks Koepka (-8) has made a flying start to his second round at the US Masters.
Koepka, among the first players to take the course at Augusta National, made par at the first and then backed that up with a birdie at the par five second as he moved into outright ownership of the lead.
The four-time major winner was among the few LIV golfers to make an impression on the opening day of the Masters. Koepka, fresh from a win in the latest LIV event in Orlando, was one of only five players in the field from the rebel tour to break par in round one.
The others were Australia’s Cameron Smith (-2), Joaquin Niemann (-1), and former Masters champions Phil Mickelson (-1) and Dustin Johnson (-1).
Kopek’s fellow leaders Viktor Hovland and Jon Rahm will be in the afternoon groups, as will Australian quartet Smith, Adam Scott (-4), Min Woo Lee (+3) and amateur Harrison Crowe (+3).
Jason Day (-5) is among the early starters and is due to begin his second round at 11.06pm (AEDT).
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