The Albany Gazette - LIV's Koepka seizes command at Masters

Koepka torched the famed course's par-5 holes for an eagle and three birdies in a bogey-free round. His superb shotmaking followed an opening 65, his lowest Masters round, and left him on 12-under 132 for 36 holes, four strokes in the lead.

"It was really solid. Didn't really do too much wrong," Koepka said. "You've got to make birdies on these par 5s, take advantage of them, and did a good job of that."

After winning last week's LIV Golf event in Orlando, Koepka could produce the PGA Tour's nightmare scenario of a victory on one of golf's greatest stages by a player from the breakaway circuit.

Koepka made a birdie at the par-5 second to grab the solo lead, then curled in a tricky 10-foot par putt at the third after chipping his approach over the green.

The 32-year-old American, a 2019 Masters runner-up behind Tiger Woods, eagled the par-5 eighth after a brilliant approach shot to reach 10-under, becoming the fastest to that mark at a Masters since Jordan Spieth on his way to victory in 2015.

Koepka cleared Rae's Creek in two at the extended par-5 13th on the way to a tap-in birdie and notched another at the 15th.

US amateur Sam Bennett had five birdies against one bogey to stand second on 8-under through 14 holes with Spain's third-ranked Jon Rahm, the 2021 US Open champion, and Norway's ninth-ranked Viktor Hovland, who had both just started their second rounds, on 7-under.

"I'm feeling confident. Hopefully I can keep it going," Rahm said. "There's a long way to go."

Australia's Jason Day had two bogeys and a double bogey in the last four holes to stumble in on 72 and on 139 for 36 holes, seven off the lead.

Koepka is among 18 qualifiers from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League at Augusta National, where talk of the PGA-LIV split has been set aside by players so they can focus on winning the green jacket.

"I don't know if this is the place for healing those wounds," two-time Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal said.

Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson of LIV shot 69 to share 11th on 140.

The PGA Tour banned players who jumped to the upstart series for record $25 million purses and 54-hole events and a court fight is set for early 2024, but majors allow LIV golfers who qualify to compete.

"You should still be in the top 50 if you play well enough in all the majors," said Koepka, admitting there is extra pressure needing big efforts at majors to ensure future invitations.

"But if you win one here, it kind ticks a lot of boxes, doesn't it?"

Koepka, the 2017 and 2018 US Open champion and 2018 and 2019 PGA Championship winner, was in the fifth group out Friday with cold, windy and rainy conditions expected by the afternoon and all of Saturday.

"The biggest advantage I had was my tee time," Koepka said.

World number one and defending champion Scottie Scheffler was 2-over on the day and 2-under overall after 14 holes.

- Tiger, Rory cut risks -

Woods, a 15-time major winner and five-time Masters champion, struggled to a 74 on Thursday and after four holes was right on the projected 2-over cutline.

At 47, Woods said he isn't sure how many more Masters he will play, still pained by severe leg injuries from a 2021 car crash.

Woods has missed the cut only once in 24 prior Masters starts, as an amateur in 1996, a year before his record-shattering first major triumph at Augusta.

World number two Rory McIlroy, who needs a Masters victory to complete a career Grand Slam, was 4-over overall through 13 holes.

Others likely to miss the cut included LIV's Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia and Bubba Watson.

(A.Lehmann--BBZ)