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Day One of the Masters saw Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Brooks Koepka share the lead on seven under, but it was a tough opening round for Rory McIlroy who carded par after an up and down time on the course.
Only Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods have won the Masters in consecutive years but last year’s champion Scottie Scheffler can become the fourth golfer to pull on the famous green jacket two years in a row if he triumphs this week.
Woods is also back but has admitted he does not know how many more times he will be able to play at the Masters. The 16-time major champion surprisingly made the cut at last year’s tournament following a serious car accident but has only played the odd competition since. He finished two over for the first round and needs an improvement if he’s to prolong his stay across the weekend.
The first major of the golfing year will also be defined by the return of 18 LIV Golf defectors who have been granted permission to compete in all four majors this season. With relations between LIV golfers and critics of the Saudi-funded breakaway series sour at best, four days of heated competition at Augusta National are likely.
Follow live updates from the opening day’s play of the Masters below:
The Masters: Straka finding his stride
Sepp Straka, the Austrian golfer making just his 2nd Masters appearance, has begun day two with two pars and a birdie. One place behind him on the leaderboard in 13th, Masters debutant Ryan Fox has hit a birdie on his second hole to take his score to -3
Karl Matchett7 April 2023 14:32
The Masters: Day begins with four-par
Koepka hits par on hole 4 and remains on -8. Just a few places below him in fourth on the leaderboard, Jason Day hits par four, as he did in Round 1 yesterday, to kick off proceedings on Day 2.
Shubi Arun7 April 2023 14:27
Brooke Koepka now looks “very similar” to during successful run winning majors
Sarah Stirk has been speaking on Sky Sports Golf about the current Masters leader:
“Koepka was the Major man. With him he has that ultimate confidence, bordering on arrogance, he’s an alpha male and doesn’t let anything bother him - but we saw on Full Swing a side we haven’t before, a vulnerability. We hadn’t seen that before and I thought it was fascinating. He’s battled injuries and really struggled, he made the decision to move to LIV Golf and I think he saw that as a way out.
“Yesterday he had that same confidence, he just seemed very similar to how he was between 2017 and 2019. Watch out, it’s ominous for the rest of the field.
“Coming off that win last week in Orlando his game is looking superb, mentally he’s in a great place and he’s fit and healthy which is giving him confidence right now.”
Karl Matchett7 April 2023 14:21
The Masters: Fine start for Woodland
Gary Woodland has begun well on Day 2, with a birdie on the par-five second and two pars in his first three holes. He currently lies fourth on the leaderboard, behind yesterday’s star performer Jon Rahm.
Karl Matchett7 April 2023 14:17
The Masters: Mickelson underway on Day 2
Phil Mickelson, the face of the renegade LIV Golf tour, is currently 18th on the leaderboard at -2 and began Day 2 with a birdie. It’s his first time came at the Masters since joining the Saudi backed league and has largely kept away from the media so far.
Shubi Arun7 April 2023 14:10
The Masters: Brooks Koepka takes sole lead to go eight under
Brooks Koepka goes eight under!
After a par on the first he has birdied the second and that means he’s in sole lead, with Rahm and Hovland starting later on today - the other pair who shared the lead with him yesterday.
Koepka making a very smooth start to proceedings on day two and putting down an early marker that he could open a bit of a gap.
Karl Matchett7 April 2023 14:03
The Masters: DeChambeau starts Day2 with two bogeys
Schwartzel and Moore both hit par on hole 4, and are currently on three over and two over respectively. The other player in their group DeChambeau, currently on +6, with two bogeys and a par on his first three holes.
Karl Matchett7 April 2023 13:59
Morikawa seeking to improve on career best at the Masters
Collin Morikawa was in the headlines yesterday after an incident, with some claiming he had misplaced his ball - but he cleared it all up afterwards, with no rule infringement handed against him.
His best finish at the Masters is fifth, achieved last year, and he had a good first day with three under carded.
In Morikawa’s group today is just Matt Fitzpatrick, as Will Zalatoris withdrew with a suspected back injury.
Karl Matchett7 April 2023 13:58
The Masters: Joaquin Niemann, Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa set to tee off
Here are the upcoming groups with their GMT tee times:
1.54pm: Billy Horschel, Harris English, Ryan Fox
2.06pm: Zach Johnson, Jason Day, Gordon Sargent (A)
2.18pm: Brian Harman, Joaquin Niemann, Tyrrell Hatton
2.36pm: Dustin Johnson, Corey Conners, Justin Rose
2.48pm: Matthew Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa, Will Zalatoris (withdrawn)
Karl Matchett7 April 2023 13:51
Masters 23: Slow start for Olazabal while Koepka nails first tee shot
The two-time champion Olazabal hasn’t had the best morning so far, with another bogey on his fifth hole. Potgieter too began Day 2 with a bogey on his first hole and is on +3 at the fourth hole. Koepka has started Day 2 well, nailing his first tee shot and securing his par on hole two.
Karl Matchett7 April 2023 13:40