Jon Rahm finished the first tour of the Augusta Masters frustrated. “I have played well and I have had four balls with mud. What I can do? It’s bad luck”, assured the ‘Lion of Barrika’ after signing 74 hits (+2) and break a wonderful streak of fifteen consecutive rounds at or below par on the green carpet of Georgia. Only one away from equaling Tiger Woods’ record. Precisely, the 46-year-old American had been the great protagonist of the opening day. With an itinerant troupe of several hundred people who follow him like a messiah who returned 408 days later to a PGA Tour tournament after saving his life, and especially his right leg, in a violent car accident in Los Angeles. El Tigre roared and defeated the field (-1).
The Masters – Round TwoTiger Woods.
Gregory Shamus (AFP)
But Augusta changed radically on the second day and Woods began to suffer and how. And not just for physical pain. The mud marked Thursday and the strong gusty wind inherited the leading role, further complicating some soft, slow and not very receptive greens that heralded a cut well above par for the course (+4 finally). Rahm started strongly: birdie at 1 and birdie at 2. The bogey on the 5th hole after throwing the ball into the sand from the tee and on the 12th hole after being buried again in a bunker stopped his projection momentarily, but the Basque from 27 years old knew that finishing close to par would give him options to fight for a good position this weekend.
For this reason, the birdie on the 14th encouraged the Spanish more. From there he had to use his best repertoire of approach shots to save par, except on 18, and close the day at par (72 shots) for 146 and +2. “I haven’t been comfortable, especially off the tee,” said Rahmbo. It is not the situation that the Biscayan would want but he keeps his swords raised since he does not see the best ones too far apart from the leader Scheffler (-8). Same situation of Sergio García who clung to his talent to sign two birdies in the final two holes that made him forget the triple bogey on 11 and also make sure he made the cut, for the first time since he won in 2017, with 146 hits (+2) and playing Saturday and Sunday, days that will not have Chema Olazábal (56 years old) who with +12 did not make it.
The Masters – Round TwoSergio García.
Andrew Redington (AFP)
Adding a red color cost cold sweats and green flooded the markers. Starting with the leader after the initial 18 holes, the Korean Im, who completed the day with more bogeys than birdies (74 strokes, +2 for a total of 141, -3 after 36 holes). Or the suffering of Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson to stay on top; or that of Hovland to continue playing the weekend. And what about DeChambeau, Spieth, Koepka or Schauffele, without reference, or Tiger, +4 in the first 5 holes. From looking at the leaders to feeling the pressure of being able to stay out… something that would not happen to the delight of his legion of fans. And even his final arreón leaves him wide open again (+1 accumulated for him).
While most had a hard time on such a tough battlefield, others seemed to challenge the gods of golf, especially the American Scottie Scheffler, number one in the ranking, who delighted with an exquisite game and got five hits in the second. The Irishman Lowry, the South African Schwartzel or the Japanese Matsuyama (the first Japanese with a green jacket and current defender of the title) also stood out and present credentials… yes the leader lowers the bar a bit and leaves his telescopic sight in the hotel. There are 36 holes ahead and they will be long for many. The cold arrives. Place your bets. Augusta will destroy them.
