Day Two at the Masters

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A “new” Masters Tradition, Tiger makes the cut again

In harsh conditions, Woods shot rounds of 73 and 72 to make his 24th straight Masters cut. There was a lot of speculation that Woods would have problems this week with what his friend Notah Begay called “zero mobility.” Begay also added that Tiger had a low-back challenge. In his press conference on Tuesday, Tiger said that his injuries made it difficult to get around 72 holes at Augusta, and he added that he has daily pain, which seems to be a hard thing to deal with.

Despite the challenging circumstances, Tiger Woods displayed his trademark resilience. His performance was not flashy, but it was solid. He hit 22 of 28 fairways, 17 of 36 greens, and took 56 putts without a three-putt. Woods made six birdies, 23 pars, and 7 bogeys, positioning himself at T-24th for the weekend (as of now, this will change).

One of the most remarkable aspects of Tiger Woods’s performance is the new Augusta record he broke. He was tied with Fred Couples and Gary Player for most consecutive cuts made at 23. With his cut this week, he now has 24 and is the undisputed leader. In 26 starts, he has only missed the cut once, in his second year in 1996. Last year, he made the 36-hole cut and, due to poor weather, was forced to withdraw. While some may question his making the cut, the fact remains that he did make the 36-hole cut, solidifying his record.

With the 36-hole cut being instituted in 1957, we have some high levels of cuts made. An example was Johnny Palmer; he made 13 of 13 cuts, but his last year of playing was 1957 when the cut went into effect. For those who played after the cut was put in, the players with the 100% made cuts would be three who made 8 of 8: Bill Haas, Calvin Peete, and Geoff Ogilvy. Tiger making 24 of 25 is impressive, Ian Poulter making 15 of 16, and Gene Littler making 24 out of 26.
So, the big deal for Tiger is getting some rest and getting ready to go on Saturday.

Jordan Spieth no long a guarantee at the Masters

From the first day Spieth played his first round at Augusta National, he was always a great pick. His first go-around was in 2014 when he was runner-up, three shots back of winner Bubba Watson. Spieth opened with a 64 the following year and never looked back, winning the Masters by four shots.

In 2016 he came close, as he shot a final round 73 and was past and beaten by Danny Willett by three shots after he shot a final round 67. Spieth was T-11th in 2017 and again in the hunt in 2018, finishing 3rd. Jordan was T21st in 2019 and then T-46th the next year and finished T3rd in 2021. The first roadblock Spieth experienced was in 2022 he shot 74-76 to stun a lot of folks by missing the cut. However, he did bounce back last year, shooting a final round 66 to finish T-4th. This resilience and determination in the face of disappointment is what makes Spieth’s record so amazing. He has led or co-led three times after the first round, 2 times after the 2nd round and three times after the third round. His ability to bounce back from disappointments is a testament to his resilience and determination.

So Spieth has always been a safe bet at the Masters, with a track record that includes a runner-up finish in 2014, a victory in 2015, and a third-place finish in 2018. These successes are a testament to his skill and potential for future triumphs.

Now and then, Spieth has been susceptible to that one rough hole, like in the final round in 2016 when he was leading the Masters, he dunked a couple of balls into the water on 12, making a 7 on the par 3 and losing to Danny Willett by three shots. The following year, in the first round, Spieth was rolling along at even par before visiting the pond in front of the 15th hole and making a nine on the hole. In the 1st round of the 2021 Masters, Spieth made a triple bogey on the ninth hole and finished T-3rd, three shots back of the winner Hideki Matsuyama. Spieth had one more disaster at Augusta when he dunked his tee shot into Rae’s Creek at the 12th hole and made a triple on the way to missing his first cut.

Spieth has struggled a bit in 2024 but did finish third at the Sentry, T-6th in Phoenix, and T-10th last week at the Valero Texas Open. But after catching a breath, we have to remember that he was disqualified in the second round at the Genesis Invitational and missed the cut at the Players and the Valspar, so it has been a frustrating year for him.

So he was hoping for some Augusta magic when he pulled up Magnolia Drive for his eleventh Masters. But things didn’t get off to a great start on the first hole when he drove into the fairway bunker, missed the green, muffed a chip, then chipped on a two-putted for a double bogey. Now, in most cases, this doesn’t do any good for the psychic of the player, but last year, Jon Rahm four-putted his very first hole for a double bogey and went on to win. Spieth added another bogey, a 5, but got a shot back with his first birdie at 8. He could only play three more holes before darkness ended his day. In coming back Friday morning, Spieth did par 12 and birdied 13 to get back into things. But the wheels fell off with a bogey at 14 and then the disaster at 15.

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Could Max Homa be coming out of his slump?

Over the years, the West Coast swing has been a time of triumph for Max Homa. A staggering six of his wins have been in California, a testament to his prowess in the first seven events of the year. However, this year presented a different challenge. Despite his struggles, he managed a respectable T-13th at the Farmers, his best finish in five West Coast starts. As he headed into the Masters, he carried with him the memory of a top-ten finish, T-8th at the Arnold Palmer.

For those in the know, players who do well and win at Riviera, the site of the Genesis Invitational, always do well in the Masters. These players who have won both are an example of that. John Rahm won the 2023 Genesis Invitational and then The Masters. Hideki Matsuyama won the 2021 Masters and then the 2024 Genesis Invitational. Dustin Johnson won the 2017 Genesis and then the 2020 Genesis. Adam Scott won the 2013 Masters and the 2020 Genesis. Bubba Watson won the 2012 Genesis Invitational, then won the 2012 Masters, followed by the 2014 Genesis Invitational.

By pure coincidence, Bubba also won the 2016 2018 Genesis Invitational and the 2014 Masters. Many players have won both at the Masters and Riviera Country Club.

In the second round, after a 67 in the first round, Homa played the front nine in 2 under to tie with DeChambeau. So, does this mean that Homa could be a long-term prospect at the Masters? Max has never played well at the Masters. He missed the cut in 2020 and ’21, was T-48th in 2022, and T-43rd last year. These are not great numbers, but again, we have to go off the tradition that those who play well at Riviera also do well at August National.

Was anyone surprised to see Scottie Scheffler shot 66?

For months, I’ve been asserting that Scheffler is the Tiger Woods of the 2020s. His performance at the Masters, where he was the betting favorite, only solidifies this claim. With a six under par 66, Scheffler has not only made a lot of people happy but also showcased his immense talent and potential.

Scheffler’s round was a masterclass in consistency, with six pars and no bogeys. His bogey-free round was the only one of the day, a testament to his exceptional performance. Two-putting the 18th hole from the front of the green, he completed a 6-under-par 66, keeping him just one shot behind Bryson DeChambeau.

Scheffler made birdies at 2, 6, 12, 13, 15 and 16. He pitched in from the back bunker on 12, and despite missing the green to the right on No. 13, he avoided the water and made a birdie on the par 5. He hit 12 of 14 fairways and 13 of 18 greens and putted well, taking only 26 putts.

Since winning for the first time at the 2022 Phoenix Open, Scheffler has played in 49 events, winning 8 times, including the 2022 Masters. Of the 49 starts, he has 21 top-three finishes, 33 top-ten finishes and has only been out of the top ten once in his last ten starts. In his last three starts, he won at the Palmer and Players and was runner-up at the Houston Open.

Scottie has now played in 17 rounds at the Masters and has only been over par twice. He is now 27 under par in all his rounds; 13 of the 17 have been under par. One remarkable stat: Scheffler has played in 306 holes competitively at Augusta National, and in those rounds, he has made three eagles and 69 birdies compared to just 40 bogeys and 4 double bogeys. So that means that Scheffler has broken par in 23.5% of the holes (meaning he breaks par once for every four holes he plays). This may sound hard to believe, but it’s not the best in Masters history. In Jordan Spieth’s first 306 holes played, he made 2 eagles and 88 birdies, so he broke par in 29.4% of his holes.

So the thing on everyone’s mind, when Scottie tees it up today, is whether Scottie has the fortitude to win this week. Scottie and Jordan Spieth were the most significant talents, and they played close to the same level as Tiger Woods. For Spieth, his greatness only lasted three years as golf isn’t his main priority anymore. As for Scheffler, he is very close to the same level as Tiger when he started playing on the PGA Tour, but when his wife has their child in the next few weeks, we have to see if the importance of golf doesn’t go away for Scottie, boy I hope not.