Tiger Woods makes record 24th straight cut at the Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods‘ 15 main championship victories embrace 5 wins on the Masters. An 82-time winner on the PGA Tour, Woods was ranked the No. 1 golfer on the planet for 683 weeks — greater than 13 years.

Given how little aggressive golf Woods has performed over the previous three years since he was significantly injured in a automobile wreck in February 2021 — and the truth that he is now enjoying with a fused again and proper ankle — what the 48-year-old achieved Friday is likely to be probably the most outstanding achievements of his storied profession.

By carding an even-par 72 within the second spherical of the 88th Masters at Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership, Woods broke a event report along with his twenty fourth consecutive made lower. He beforehand held the report with Fred {Couples} (1983-2007) and Gary Participant (1959-82). Woods was 1 over par and tied for twenty second after 36 holes.

The lower was 6 over. Woods has by no means missed the lower on the Masters as an expert.

Regardless of enjoying just one full aggressive spherical in a PGA Tour occasion this season, Woods wasn’t fascinated by a made lower heading into the weekend. He nonetheless believes he has an opportunity to win a sixth inexperienced jacket. He was 8 photographs behind chief Bryson DeChambeau when he completed.

“It means I’ve an opportunity going into the weekend,” Woods stated. “I am right here. I’ve an opportunity to win the golf event. I do not know in the event that they’re all going to complete right this moment, however I am accomplished. I received my two rounds in. Simply want some meals and a few caffeine, and I will be good to go.”

There is no query that Friday was a problem for Woods. He had accomplished 13 holes of the primary spherical when play was suspended shortly earlier than 8 p.m. ET on Thursday. He was the primary participant on the follow space on Friday morning, then teed off at 7:45 a.m. ET and performed the ultimate 5 holes of his opening spherical.

Woods had bogeys on the par-4 14th and the par-4 18th and shot 1-over 73 within the first spherical.

“I am drained,” Woods stated after the second spherical. “I have been out for some time, competing, grinding. It has been a protracted 23 holes, a protracted day. However [caddie Lance Bennett] and I actually did some good combating right this moment, and we have an opportunity.”

After ready lower than 50 minutes to tee off within the second spherical, Woods had an action-packed first 9. He had birdies on Nos. 3, 6 and eight and bogeys on Nos. 4, 5 and seven. He made the flip at even-par 36.

Woods’ putter began cooperating on the second 9, and he made a number of clutch up-and-downs to save lots of par. He opened the second 9 with 4 straight pars, together with three in a row on Nos. 11, 12 and 13 at Amen Nook.

Woods picked up his first bogey of the second 9 on the par-4 14th. After hitting a 307-yard drive down the appropriate aspect of the green, his ball was 150 yards from the pin. His strategy shot was lengthy and left, and his ball ended up stopping in a gallery of patrons, about 51 toes from the opening. He chipped to 9 toes and missed the par putt to fall to 2 over.

Woods bounced again on the subsequent gap, the par-5, 550-yard fifteenth. After hitting a 292-yard tee shot, Woods was left with 258 yards to the pin. He ripped a 3-wood and his ball reached the inexperienced, about 25 toes from the opening. His eagle putt stopped about 2 toes wanting the opening. He tapped within the birdie putt to return to 1 over.

On the par-4 18th, Woods confirmed the bodily put on of enjoying 23 holes. He labored whereas strolling up the hill and pulled his strategy shot left. His ball landed under the left greenside bunker about 33 yards from the opening. He pitched the ball to five toes and made the par putt.

“I used to be pressured to stand up and down just a few instances right this moment, and I used to be in a position to do this,” Woods stated. “A variety of these chip photographs I used to be in a position to stand up and down as a result of I left it within the good spot, and that is understanding the way to play this golf course. Most likely the one exception was the spot I put myself in on 14. A lot of the up-and-downs, I used to be in an ideal spot.”

Woods drove the ball extraordinarily properly within the first two rounds. He hit 79% of fairways and routinely hit his drives previous his enjoying companions, Max Homa and Jason Day. Woods’ iron sport was rusty, as he hit solely 47% of greens. He was solely 1-for-19 on putts longer than 10 toes within the first 36 holes.

Woods stated he deliberate to textual content his good pal {Couples}, who was 12 over whereas enjoying with an aching again and can miss the lower, and needle him about breaking the report.

Woods’ course data and expertise at Augusta Nationwide — he’s making his twenty sixth begin within the Masters — have been invaluable on a day when swirling winds and gusts of greater than 30 mph made already troublesome photographs much more treacherous.

Eire’s Shane Lowry, who was 3 over after 36 holes, stated Augusta Nationwide’s agency and quick greens and the climate made the primary two rounds “in all probability the hardest two days of golf” that he had ever performed.

“You could be made to appear like an fool on the market right this moment by not doing an excessive amount of fallacious,” Lowry stated. “For those who’re speaking in boxing phrases, strolling up 18, you’d suppose it was Spherical 12 right this moment, not Spherical 2. It was robust.”

Regardless of his bodily limitations, Woods was among the many golfers who dealt with the situations higher than most. Greater than something, he appeared blissful to be enjoying aggressive golf once more — particularly at Augusta Nationwide.

“I’ve at all times liked enjoying right here,” Woods stated. “I have been in a position to play right here since I used to be 19 years previous. It is one of many honors I do not take calmly, having the ability to compete. The years I’ve missed, I want I used to be in a position to play as a result of there’s such an aura and mystique about enjoying this golf course that except you’ve performed and competed right here, you in all probability do not actually admire [it].”

Woods’ achievement wasn’t misplaced on a few of his opponents. Regardless of not having performed in an expert event since he withdrew after 24 holes of the Genesis Invitational due to the flu in mid-February, Woods performed properly sufficient to compete on the weekend.

Among the many gamers who will not make the lower are former Masters champions Dustin Johnson (13 over), Bubba Watson (10 over) and Jordan Spieth (9 over), in addition to reigning Open Championship winner Brian Harman (9 over) and Sam Burns (9 over).

“Simply have a look at what Tiger is doing proper now,” stated novice Stewart Hagestad, who missed the lower (8 over) in his third Masters look. “The man has barely performed in any respect within the final calendar 12 months, and he is 1 over. That is alien stuff. That is unbelievable.”

Added Homa, who’s 6 below after 36 holes, the very best place of his profession heading into the weekend of a significant championship: “It truly is a dream to get to play with him right here. I have been saying I at all times wished to simply watch him hit iron photographs round right here, and I used to be proper up subsequent to him. It was actually cool.

“His brief sport was so good. I do not suppose I can clarify how good among the chip photographs he hit right this moment have been. He is particular. We had a extremely fast turnaround, and if I used to be feeling drained and terrible, I think about he was feeling even worse.”

Woods insisted he is not accomplished, both. Earlier this week, he advised that he would have an opportunity to win one other Masters title if “the whole lot comes collectively.” He has loads of work to do within the ultimate 36 holes however is not out of it but.

“I am proper there,” Woods stated. “I am solely 8 again as of proper now. I do not suppose anybody goes to run off and conceal proper now, however it’s actually bunched. The best way the ball is shifting on the greens, chip photographs are being blown, it is all you need in a golf course right this moment.”