Justin Thomas should be getting a nice care package from his good friend Tiger Woods in the near future. A box of fine wine, a yacht or maybe even his own private island.
It’s all on the table after Thomas saved Woods from missing the cut at the 2023 Masters — and instead helped Tiger tie the all-time record for consecutive cuts made with 23 at the famed tournament.
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Woods was in serious danger of missing the cut at Augusta for the first time in his pro career on Saturday thanks to a bogey-bogey finish through 36 holes. After the second round of play was suspended on Friday afternoon due to weather —and trees falling on the course — Woods resumed play on soggy morning at 2-over-par and right on the cut line.
He finished the round with a 73 (3-over-par) despite an opportunity to save his tournament on No. 18. Woods just needed to make par or better on the par-4 hole to guarantee a spot inside the cut line.
Instead his tee shot went into the pine straws, his second was a lay up just short of the green and his third shot left him with a putt from 50 feet that he missed by two feet. The crowd roared behind him as he cleaned up for bogey, fearing this could be the last time they saw Woods at the event.
Tiger began his week at Augusta National with a very realistic look at his health and abilities and couldn’t help but note this could be his last time out at the Masters.
Then Justin Thomas came to the rescue.
The only hope Woods had left of making the cut was if Thomas or Sungjae Im dropped a shot behind him to finish at 3-over or worse and move the cut line back.
Considering the close friendship between Woods and Thomas, golf fans were hoping JT would do his pal a solid by bogeying one of his final holes.
Thomas obliged — much to his own demise. First, his tee shot at No. 17 went way left. Then he missed a 10-foot par putt by two feet. The bogey dropped the cut line back to 3-over and put Tiger back in play for the weekend.
But Thomas then bogeyed No. 18 to finish 4-over-par and miss the cut himself. It was a cruel twist of fate for two of the games most well-known pros. Golf fans went through all the emotions trying to process what just happened.
Woods last missed the cut at Augusta as an amateur in 1996. He came back the following year to win by 12 strokes, becoming the youngest player ever to win a green jacket (21 years old) and set a record for the largest margin of victory at the tournament.
He has beat Justin Thomas, Rory, DeChambeau just to name a few.
Still got it 🐅 https://t.co/0wVvmgkIjG
— Father Of 2 (@Mastos_TM) April 8, 2023
never say Justin Thomas isn’t a true friend pic.twitter.com/6NR8sfPHRE
— Megan Schuster (@megschuster) April 8, 2023
Tiger Woods now needs Justin Thomas (or Sungjae Im) to make a bogey coming in to make his 23rd consecutive Masters cut. Can someone tell JT? Feel like he'd be up for it
— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) April 8, 2023
Justin Thomas misses the cut by one stroke, his first missed cut in eight starts at the Masters Tournament.#theMasters
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) April 8, 2023
JT's bogey-bogey finish secures the cut line at +3, meaning Tiger Woods is through to Round 3 (and for the first time, Justin Thomas isn't).
It's the 4th time in Woods' major career that he's made the cut on the number, along with:
– 2003 Masters
– 2005 PGA
– 2014 The Open https://t.co/5cdNnCuZv2— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 8, 2023
TIGER WOODS (-190) MAKES THE CUT AT THE MASTERS FOR THE 23RD CONSECUTIVE TIME 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NglQNuQjOM
— br_betting (@br_betting) April 8, 2023
JT to Tiger pic.twitter.com/DGe708fIim
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) April 8, 2023
Justin Thomas doing work to help us watch Tiger this weekend.
— Brian Omogrosso (@CaptainOmo) April 8, 2023
Justin Thomas is a man of the people 🙏
— Michael Mohorovich (@mmohorovich) April 8, 2023
I imagine the case of [insert wine/booze of choice here] going from Tiger Woods to Justin Thomas will be a pricey one. And worth it to tie a #themasters record for consecutive cuts made.
— Dan Spears (@DanSpears) April 8, 2023
Justin Thomas shooting a 77 to get tiger inside the cut line what a great friend
— Chris (@Chris_NYY28) April 8, 2023
Did Justin Thomas purposely miss so Tiger can make the cut?
If so, he’s a real one💯🥹#TheMasters #Round2 pic.twitter.com/DkKLKz3M7c
— JF (@JFreshSports) April 8, 2023
Justin Thomas BOGEYS the 17th.
Barring a birdie at the last, he just let his good friend Tiger Woods into the weekend at the Masters.
Unreal. #TheMasters
— Lukas Weese (@Weesesports) April 8, 2023
Justin Thomas as he falls on the sword to move the cut line for Tiger pic.twitter.com/4T8vBgvqCm
— Ryan Ballengee (@RyanBallengee) April 8, 2023
Justin Thomas looks absolutely crushed by missing the cut. Said he had a “long day ahead of him” while conducting his in-round chat walking up the 14th. Couldn’t have thought that long day would consist of a journey home to Florida.
— Jamie Weir (@jamiecweir) April 8, 2023
Tiger blowing JT up to make the cut pic.twitter.com/E0AxUxgUmE
— Wes Blankenship (@Wes_nship) April 8, 2023