Tiger Woods refused to give up on his dream of a 16th major title after making a record 24th consecutive cut in the Masters on another windswept day at Augusta National. (More Sports News)
Woods completed 23 holes in more than seven hours on the couꦬrse on Friday, a remarkable effort from the injury-ravaged 48-year-old which prompted a standing ovation from the spectators around the 18th green.
The five-time Masters champion had to shield his face from sand whipped from the bunkers on the last before tapping in to complete a second ro🐽und of 72 for a halfway to🔜tal of one over par.
That left Woods seven shots off the lead shared by playing partner Max Homa, world number one Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau, who could only add a 73 to his opening 65.
“It means I have a chance to win the golf tournament,” Woods said.
“I’m right there. I don’t think anyone is going to run off and hide right now, but it’s really bunched. The way the ball is moving on the greens, chip shots are being blown, it’s all yo🔜u want in a golf course today.”
Asked about his 24th consecutive cut, Woods – wh𒈔o had shared the 🅰record of 23 with Freddie Couples and Gary Player – said: “I’ve always loved playing here.
“I’ve been able to play here since I was 19 years old. It’s one of the hꦓonours I don’t take lightly, being able to compete."
“The years I have missed, I wish I was able to play because t🍸here’s such an aura and mystique about playing this golf course that, unless you have played and competed here, you probably don’t really appreciate it🅷.”
Woods was one of 27 players unable to complete their first rounds on Thursdayꩵ following a lenඣgthy weather delay, the 15-time major winner covering his first 13 holes in one under par.
Play resumed at 0750 local time (1250BST) on Friday and Woods bogeyed the 14th and 18th to complete a 73 which left him with just 49 minutes to rest, refuel or 🍰practise before he got his second round got under way.
A rollercoaster front nine consisted of three pars, three bogeys and three birdies, including a superb chip-in on the sixth, with a more sedate back nine adding up to a ba🌳ttling 72.
“It’s been a long d💫ay,” Woods said with a smile. “It was a good fight.”
Asked 🌺what it was like playing alongside Woods after adding a 71 to his opening 67,𓆉 Homa said: “It was awesome. It really is a dream to get to play with him here.
“I always wanted to just💝 watch him hit iron shots around here, and I was right up next to him. It was really cool.🐷"
“His short game was so good.💎 I don’t think I can explain how good some of the chip shots he hit today were."
“He’s special. We had ♎a really quick turnaround, and if I was feeling tired an𓆉d awful, I imagine he was feeling even worse."
“And on 18, we had sandblasts for 45 seconds, and I turned around five times so I didn’t get crushed in the face, and he’s standing there like a statue and then poured it righ💎t in the middle."
“So all the cliches you hear about him and all the old stories about how he will grind it out, 🌃it was f✱un to see that in person.”
With winds gusting up to 42 mph, the pace of play was funereal and the penultimate group of Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele took six hours and two mi🐲nutesꦐ to complete 18 holes.
Schef🥀fler added a 72 to his opening 66 and Schauffele returned a second consecutive 72 to remain level par, but McIlroജy struggled to a birdie-free 77 to slump to four over.
Defending champion Jon Rahm was a stroke further back following a 76, with the cut falling at six over to allow two-time winner J✨ose👍 Maria Olazabal to make the weekend at the age of 58.
