The Albany Gazette - Masters drama intensifies as three US co-leaders tee off

Formidable Augusta National was tight-fisted with low rounds for early starters among 60 who reached the weekend.

That included 15-time major winner Tiger Woods, who was 6-over for the tournament and 5-over on the day after eight holes, including his first double-bogey of the week at the seventh and the first double-bogey of his career at the par-5 eighth, where no one else has made one this week.

Without Friday's severe winds, rivals were looking to charge up the leaderboard in pursuit of a green jacket and the winner's record top prize of $3.6 million from a record $20 million purse.

"A lot more enjoyable today, but it's still a heck of a test out there," said American Rickie Fowler, Saturday's first player to tee off.

Homa, Scheffler and DeChambeau all stood on six-under-par 138 after 36 holes with Masters rookie Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark fourth on 140.

Scheffler, the 2022 Masters winner, has been the oddsmakers' darling and could join Woods as the only players to win the green jacket twice while world number one.

DeChambeau was among eight players from Saudi-backed LIV Golf who made the cut. His best finish in seven prior Masters starts was 21st as low amateur in 2016.

Homa, chasing his first major triumph, had never before finished in the top five after any round at a major, but led the Masters by making 26 of 36 greens in regulation.

Hojgaard was among several newcomers trying to become the first rookie to win the green jacket since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, including the Dane's 2023 European Ryder Cup teammate, Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, who birdied the par-5 second to reach 3-under in his first major.

Major champions under par also included American Collin Morikawa, the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021 British Open champion who opened with a birdie to reach 4-under, and LIV's Cameron Smith, an Australian who won the 2022 British Open and birdied the third to reach 2-under.

New Zealand's Ryan Fox birdied the first three holes to move to 4-under.

The greatest 36-hole fightback by a winner in Masters history was the eight-stroke rally by 1956 champion Jack Burke.

That boosts such hopefuls as five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, who was 3-over after eight.

Needing record rallies to claim the title were Rory McIlroy, who would complete a career grand slam with a Masters win but stood on 3-over after 16 holes, and defending champion Jon Rahm, who fired a par 72 to stand on 5-over 221 for 54 holes.

(A.Thompson--TAG)