The World Golf Classic on Augusta National Course During the Rain: Woods, Fowler and Koepka-Cantlay
The 17th and 18th holes are the hardest in Augusta National, so Woods needed some help to make the cut as the rain poured down.
The 47-year-old, who had suggested that he might retire from the tournament, finished the second round with a one-over 73.
Woods had barely made it to the third round and was in a bad shape during the afternoon. His nine-over par after seven holes marked the worst score of the day by three strokes.
Woods had completed 11 holes of his second round on Friday and was two-over par, then the projected cut, when play was suspended for the day due to bad weather.
After the second round was completed on Friday, Jon Rahm was two shots behind the leader but remained at a 12 under, which is two shots more than the leader.
The third round has already begun. Woods is set to tee off at 1.06 p.m E.T and playing so many holes on the same day – if the weather holds out – will be a real test for the 15-time major champion.
His competitive appearances have been sporadic since he suffered severe leg injuries in a serious car crash in 2021 and after his opening round on Thursday he said he was in “constant” pain on the hilly Augusta course.
After Friday washout, the play was begun an hour earlier so that several golf players could finish their second rounds. According to tournament organizers, no one was hurt.
Four-time major winner Rickie Fowler was one of just 11 players to shoot under par as the temperature was chilly and windy, but he was one of the players who hoped to make a move after the horn.
The US amateur champion, who won the gold medal in the 1996 Olympics, was able to maintain his position with four straight pars, giving him a seven-shot cushion over the third-place player.
With 12 holes remaining for the lead group, it looks set to be a grueling day of Sunday action if The Masters is to avoid just the sixth Monday finish in the major’s history.
Aside from Koepka, Patrick Cantlay and Matt Fitzpatrick returned to the clubhouse as the winners of the day. The duo shot a round-best three-under par to move into the group tied for fourth, while the reigning US Open champion Fitzpatrick managed 11.