Homa, Hojgaard charge at Masters as Tiger chases history

Homa and Hodgegard attack Masters as Tiger continues to make history.

American Tiger Woods reacts to a mistake on the second green during the second round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, April 12, 2024. — Photo by Reuters

AUGUSTA, April 12 — Max Homa and Nikolai Hejgaard attack leader Bryson DeChambeau as Tiger Woods struggles to begin grueling 23-hole march aimed at making Masters history However, the Masters ended today with the first round of the 88th tournament. As Thursday night dawned after two and a half hours of rain, 27 of the 89 players were still on the field, including Woods, Homa and Hodgegaard.

Woods, a 48-year-old American legend with 15 major titles, including five Masters green jackets, suffered severe leg injuries in a car accident in 2021 and struggled to walk the course. This will be his first specialty since undergoing fusion surgery on his right ankle in April last year.

Woods has played in the Masters 23 times in a row, sharing the record with Gary Player and Fred Purse, but he can only claim the honor if he finishes in the final 50 and is tied after 36 holes. After finishing Thursday’s 13 holes at 1 under, Woods began his toughest walking challenge since Friday’s bogey on the par-4 14th, missing two greens and sinking his third putt to 22 feet. . hole.

Woods found a greenside bunker on the 18th, missed a 13-foot par putt, left bogey on the 73rd for a tie for 35th, and got off to a quick start heading into Turn 2 with one shot from the predicted cut line. Chopped. DeChambeau, who shot a sub-par 65 on Thursday to take a one-shot lead over world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, was scheduled to start the second round just before noon (4 p.m. Japan time).

The 2020 U.S. Open champion set the tone with birdies on five of his final seven holes in his best round at Augusta National, while Scheffler, the 2022 Masters champion, won four of his final seven holes. He made birdie and kept pace with DeChambeau. Dane Hoygaard and American Homa each finished the first round in 67 seconds on Friday to share third place, one stroke behind 2016 Masters winner Danny Willett of Britain.

Homa, who was back at 4 under after 13 holes, overshot the 14th green but saved par with an 8-foot putt. Homa made a 9-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th hole, then dropped a few inches short of the hole for a birdie putt on the 17th.

But on the 18th, Homa found a bunker and missed a 9-foot par putt, sending Scheffler out but still making his first 70 in 13 Masters rounds. Nikolaj Højgaard of Denmark looks at his tee shot on the 4th hole during the second round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia, April 12, 2024. — Photo by Reuters

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