AUGUSTA, Ga. — In his prime, Tiger Watch was always focused at the top of the leader board: How low can he shoot and how high can he climb? In the second round of this year’s Masters, there’s plenty of intrigue surrounding Tiger Woods, but the golf world’s attention was directed a bit lower on the board on Friday: Can he make the cut?
Woods wrapped up his opening round on Friday morning, posting a 1-over-par 73 and then shot an even-par 72 second round score later in the day, putting him comfortably on the good side of the cut line. He had an adventurous afternoon round — four birdies, four bogeys — and was tied for 29th place when he walked off the course.
The top 50 players (and ties) survive to play the weekend at Augusta National.
“It means I have a chance going into the weekend,” he said. “I’m here. I have a chance to win the golf tournament.”
While plenty of golfers were still on the course, Woods’s score was plenty safe of the projected cut line (4-over par), and he was set to make the cut here for a 24th consecutive time, which sets the tournament record.
It was a long day at the office for Woods, who reported to the course before 7 a.m. and then played 23 holes of golf. His gait was noticeably slower at times, with a slight limp and occasional wincing on the course. There was little chance for Woods to catch his breath between rounds. He had a break of barely 45 minutes before he reported to the first tee box to begin his second round.
“I’m tired,” he said. “I’ve been out for a while, competing, grinding. It’s been a long 23 holes, a long day.”
He was in decent shape when he made the turn early Friday afternoon, after an adventurous front nine. After bogeying the fourth and fifth holes, Woods’s name was sliding down the leader board. But he responded with two birdies in the next three holes, including a nine-yard chip-in on the sixth hole.
Later, on the par-5 15th hole, Woods blasted his second 257 yards onto the green, two-putting for his fourth birdie of the day.
As the second round unfolded, Woods found himself well off the pace, but a windy forecast could shake up the leader board late in the day. Bryson DeChambeau’s 65 Thursday was more than good enough for the first-round lead. Max Homa, playing alongside Woods, finished up his opening round on Friday morning, with a 67, tying him for third place with Nicolai Hojgaard at the time. But after the front nine of his second round, Homa had moved into the solo lead.
Homa played a steady second round under trying conditions, posting a 1-under 71 on the day, which left him one shot behind DeChambeau, who was still on the course.
Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked player, was alone in second place after the opening round, one shot behind DeChambeau, and remained one shot off the lead early in his second round Friday.
Woods and Homa were among 27 players who were still on the course when play was halted Thursday. The start of the opening round was delayed by 2½ hours due to rain.
Woods began the day at 1-under through 13 holes. He surely didn’t get the rest he preferred between rounds. Asked how his body was holding up Thursday evening, Woods said, “It’s there. The body is okay. We’ve got some work to do yet tonight.”
After posting just one bogey through 13 holes on Thursday, he had two over his five holes Friday morning. His approach shot on No. 14 was too short and his chip was too long. His two-putt resulted in a bogey, bumping him back down to even for the round.
After a pair of pars, Woods found himself in the greenside bunker on No. 18 and then overshot the hole. He missed a 12-foot putt and settled for another bogey.
The 73 was still among his best 18-hole scores the past couple years. After posting an opening-round 71 in 2022, Woods had 74, 78 and 78 en route to a 47th-place finish. And then last year he posted a 74 and a 73 before withdrawing in the third round.
This year’s tournament marks Woods’s 26th Masters. Only two other players made 23 straight cuts — Fred Couples and Gary Player — and Woods joked that he’d be needling Couples now that Woods has sole possession of the record.
“I’ve always loved playing here,” Woods said. “I’ve been able to play here since I was 19 years old. It’s one of the honors I don’t take lightly, being able to compete.”
