Tiger Woods faltered early however battled again to maintain his comeback from extreme leg accidents alive amid gusting winds that wreaked havoc in Friday’s second spherical of the Masters. The 15-time main champion fired a roller-coaster two-over par 74 to share nineteenth place on one-over 145 after 36 holes at Augusta Nationwide, 9 adrift of chief Scottie Scheffler however solely 4 again of second place. “I’ve acquired an opportunity going into the weekend,” Woods mentioned. “Hopefully I will have a type of lightbulb moments, flip it on and get it carried out.
“On the again 9 on Sunday something can occur. I’ve simply acquired to get myself there.”
World primary Scheffler, looking for his first main title, matched the low spherical of the day of 67 to face on 136 with a five-stroke lead, equalling the most important 36-hole edge in Masters historical past.
“I would not say a lot modifications,” mentioned Scheffler. “I performed strong golf. I put myself in place. I’ve to only hold doing what I am doing.”
A second-place pack included South African Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, 18-hole chief Im Sung-jae of South Korea, Eire’s Shane Lowry and defending champion Hideki Matsuyama.
“It was certainly one of my higher rounds of my profession,” mentioned 2019 British Open champion Lowry. “It was fairly difficult on the market, fairly troublesome.”
Woods, again in motion 14 months after a horrific automobile crash, teed off solely three strokes behind the leaders however made 4 bogeys on the primary 5 holes.
“It was blustery. It was windy, swirling everywhere,” Woods mentioned. “I acquired a pair unhealthy gusts and I made a pair unhealthy swings.
“Then on 4, I ended up in a divot. It was nearly, ‘What else might go flawed?'”
He was vulnerable to lacking the minimize regardless of a strong opening 71, however rallied to hold his comeback cost into the weekend as he chased a record-tying sixth Masters crown.
“I acquired again within the ball recreation,” Woods mentioned. “Tomorrow goes to be robust.
“It may be faster, drier, quicker, and it is going to be an awesome check.”
Woods will depend upon therapists and ice baths to regulate leg swelling and get himself able to play once more.
“My group has carried out a hell of a job getting the physique prepared,” Woods mentioned. “After I am going forward and break it on the market, they go forward and restore it at night time.”
After the woeful begin, Woods chipped to 2 ft and tapped in to birdie the par-5 eighth, saved par from six ft at 9 and tapped in from three ft to birdie the tenth.
Woods missed an eight-foot par putt on the eleventh then discovered a bunker on the par-3 twelfth and missed a 12-foot par putt.
He responded by making a three-foot birdie putt on the par-5 thirteenth, curling in a nine-foot birdie at 14 then closing with 4 pars to make a twenty second consecutive Masters minimize.
Whilst Woods struggled, the 46-year-old legend drew throngs of followers.
After being hospitalized for weeks and unable to stroll for months, rehabilitation work has allowed the medical marvel to make an epic comeback in an iconic setting, though his gait is affected by a proper ankle not working effectively.
“It is by no means going to maneuver prefer it used to,” he mentioned.
McIlroy 10 again
Woods, ranked 973rd, teed off within the third-to-last group alongside solely Chile’s Joaquin Niemann after 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa withdrew as a result of damage.
He missed seven-foot par putts on the first and third holes, missed the inexperienced on the par-3 fourth on the way in which to bogey and located timber off the tee to bogey the fifth.
4-time main winner Rory McIlroy, looking for a inexperienced jacket to finish a profession Grand Slam, fired a second straight 73 to face on 146. McIlroy hasn’t gained a significant title since 2014.
These lacking the minimize on 148 included four-time main winner Brooks Koepka and three-time main winner Jordan Spieth on 150, Tokyo Olympic champion Xander Schauffele on 151 and 2020 US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau on 156.
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