Can Tiger Woods make the cut? Cut Jon Rahm eat into Brooks Koepka's lead? Will the trees all remain upright? There are many questions to be answered on Saturday.
But above all of them - will the weather allow for play to begin?
Brooks Koepka opened up a three-shot lead as thunderstorms brought two Augusta National trees crashing down on Friday at the 2023 Masters.
Rahm is the closest to Koepka, while in third and in the clubhouse is amateur Sam Bennett, who backed up his Thursday 68 with another one on Friday.
One player who won't have a chance of winning is Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman was one of the fortunate ones to beat the weather but that will hardly soften the disappointment of a second-round 77 that has him five-over and almost certain to miss the Masters cut. The wait for the career Grand Slam goes on.
Elsewhere, Collin Morikawa is in the clubhouse at six-under, alongside Viktor Hovland who still has seven holes to play.
Tiger Woods is level for the day and two-over for the tournament through 11.
Louis Oosthuizen withdraws from The Masters with injury after going seven-over par with one hole to play in his second round.
Play is due to Resume at 8am EDT/1pm BST - keep up to date with all developments with the live updates below.
MASTERS 2023 LEADERBOARD
- -12 Koepka
- -10 Rahm
- -8 Bennett (a)
- -6 Morikawa, Hovland
- -5 Day, Burns, Spieth, Young
- Selected others
- -4 Mickelson, Rose, Matsuyama
- -1 Scheffler
- +3 Woods
- +5 McIlroy
Cut +3
USEFUL LINKS
- The Masters 2023 Tee Times
- Masters Weather Forecast
- How to Watch The Masters
- Watch: Trees Fall at Augusta National
MORE DRAMA AHEAD... GUARANTEED!
No doubt that the army of greenkeepers at Augusta National have been working through the night to try and get the course ready to go this morning, but will play even begin on time?
HELLO AND WELCOME!
Hello and welcome to day three of our live coverage of The Masters! I’m Eddie Carruthers and I’ll be taking you through the early coverage of the day and there’s plenty for us to get through ahead of the first tee times today.
The big question on everyone's lips today is whether Tiger Woods can make the cut, after finishing two-over par yesterday, with the projected cut currently set at +3.
Storms and rain wreaked havoc at Augusta National yesterday, causing play to be suspended TWICE at The Masters, so there are still plenty of golfers yet to finish their day two rounds, Woods included, as is World No 3 Jon Rahm, who heads up the chasing pack on solo leader Brooks Koepka who blazed to 12-under yesterday afternoon.
So let's recap on some of the big stories from yesterday and look ahead to what Saturday will look like, following yesterday's suspension of play...
RAIN STOPS PLAY
So, the overriding story from Friday at the masters was that stormy weather stopped play not once but twice at Augusta National.
In crazy scenes, trees were falling seen falling down around the golf course, being ripped up by the harsh winds at the golf course.
Luckily Augusta National took to Twitter this morning to confirm that no patrons were injured by the falling trees, despite some videos online showing the trees landing very close to where some spectators were sitting.
The inclement weather caused play to be suspended first in the thick of Friday's action, with players leaving the course for a mere 30 minutes before being called back to play.
It wasn't long again before play was again suspended due to lightning being reported in the area.
Augusta National have confirmed play will commence on Saturday at 8:00AM (EDT) / 13:00 (BST)
If you've not seen the falling trees yet, check out the clips below...
Quite amazing footage emerging on day two of the Masters, with the golf suspended for the day and now totally overshadowed by trees falling at Augusta. Mercifully reports say nobody has been hurt.#themasters pic.twitter.com/a23pjWdZJCApril 7, 2023
The scary moment a group of trees almost fell on spectators at The Masters. ⛳ Stream #TheMasters FREE on 9Now: https://t.co/dSxgELlney#9WWOS #Golf pic.twitter.com/Pz1xsH8fiFApril 7, 2023
TODAY'S FORECAST
Unfortunately I'm the bearer of bad news as things aren't looking the best again at Augusta National, heavy rain and windy conditions are forecast for today's play.
Hopefully we'll be able to see some action, but the wet conditions are likely to play a huge part in scoring today and we will likely see players find it hard to score birdies out on the golf course.
...BUT THAT COULD PLAY INTO THE HANDS OF SOME PLAYERS
While no one wants to see rain at Augusta National, especially after the chaos of yesterday's rain delays, Justin Rose spoke yesterday of how the inclement weather could help him catch up to those at the top of the leaderboard.
The Englishman sits seven shots back from Brookes Koepka, the solo leader, on five-under par, tied with Jason Day, Sam Burns, Jordan Spieth and Sam Young.
Rose has been carding some impressive scores this weekend, and while his form coming into Ryder Cup year will certainly have turned Luke Donald's head, he's hoping that the rain can help slow down the top order, and help him push on to catch up later today.
‘I think I’m more satisfied given the fact that there’s some bad weather coming,’ he said after play was suspended yesterday
‘If the golf course is going to play like it has for the first couple of days, and the leaders are going to continue making birdies, it’s tough to kind of keep up with the pace.
‘You need to make six or seven more than they’re making. With bad weather, sometimes two or three birdies can go a long way, and there’s going to be big numbers out there over the weekend.’
Solid first two days @TheMasters Time for a big push over the weekend! #TheMasters #Team🌹 pic.twitter.com/L99UG7Uno0April 8, 2023
HEARTACHE FOR MCILROY AS HE IS SET TO MISS THE CUT
Of course, the other big headline from yesterday was the immense disappointment for Rory McIlroy who looks set to miss the cut later today after finishing up his second round at five-over par, carding a 77 on his second day at The Masters.
For the World No 2, it seems the pressure of ending his nine-year major drought and winning his first ever green jacket to claim the coveted career grand slam proved too much pressure on day two.
After going in at level par for his first round, McIlroy shot four bogeys in his front nine on Friday, and despite hitting two birdies on the 13th and 15th, couldn't rescue his round.
A missed chip on the second cost him his first bogey of the round, he then went back-to-back with another bogey on the third after missing a birdie opportunity. Three putting on the sixth cost him again and he would find the trees on seventh, which would complete what was a difficult start for the Northern Irishman.
His disappointment was visible on the golf course after the tough round and the four-time major winner refused to speak to the media after his round.
Rory McIlroy looks set to miss the cut at Augusta 😮pic.twitter.com/4f1ktNQk2SApril 8, 2023
KOEPKA CARDS FLAWLESS ROUND TO TAKE SOLO LEAD
Elsewhere Brooks Koepka carded a flawless round that featured no bogeys, one eagle and three birdies to blaze ahead of the field and take the solo lead.
The American, who last week claimed his second trophy on the LIV Golf circuit, seemed in full control at the top of the leaderboard, calmly smashing his way around the course.
It comes after he was embroiled in a controversial rules incident that saw his caddie reportedly tell Gary Woodland's caddie what club he had used on the course.
After his round he humorously denied helping Woodland, saying: “The last thing I’m going to do is give it [advice] to Gary Woodland, the [2019] U.S. Open champ,” Koepka said.
“And the funny part about it is, I think if he would have known we were hitting 5, he would have hit 6 because I don’t think Gary is that short and he’s 10 [yards] in front of me,” he added.
The Masters rules committee had cleared him of any wrongdoing, and Koepka went out on day two to conquer the field, shooting an excellent 67.
Koepka, has now won the US Open (2018, 2019) and the PGA Championship (2017, 2018) and is keeping his eyes firmly on winning The Masters, in a bid to mount an assault on winning the Open Championship and claiming a career grand slam.
"The whole goal is to win the grand slam, right?’ the American said.
"I feel like all the greats have won here and they have all won British Opens as well.
"It's one more box for me to tick to truly feel like I've done what I should have accomplished in this game."
Brooks Koepka denies giving advice to playing partner Gary Woodland during the first round of The Masters. pic.twitter.com/id8UecXispApril 8, 2023
LET'S HOPE JUSTIN THOMAS HAS PACKED HIS WATERPROOFS!
Don't worry Justin! We've got you covered!
Head over to our guide to the Best Golf Waterproofs for more advice on the best apparel to wear on the course when things start to get wet.
Here's one of my top picks!
Sizes: S-XXL
Colors: 5 (Navy, Black, Royal, Red, Grey)
+ Extremely lightweight and breathable
+ Able to withstand a substantial amount of water
- Warmer models out there when temperature drops
From a performance and feel perspective, the HydroLite was outstanding during our testing. It is very light which we felt allowed us total freedom of movement and getting it on/off is very easy because it’s a full-zip jacket and comes without loose fabric or mesh on the inside.
From a rain protection perspective, it performed well despite us getting caught in several long showers, however the one small nitpick we do have is that because it is so light, there is a tradeoff in terms of warmth. There are better models for keeping you warm below. One last thing to mention is the styling. The jacket comes in five colors and each offer something a little unique and different.
WHO'S MISSING THE CUT
So with plenty of players still to finish off their second rounds, it is hard to tell who might be making an early exit from Augusta.
We know the cut is projected to be around +3 today, which means we could be without several big names heading into the weekend.
Players teetering on the edge include the likes of Seamus Power (+2 thru 12), Thomas Pieters (+3 thru 13) and of course Tiger Woods (+2 thru 11).
Yet there are some big names who could be out already, with some having finished their rounds already.
Scott Stallings, Billy Horschel, Charl Schwartzel and Thomas Pieters all sit on the cusp of the projected cut at 3-over par.
After a tough start to day two, Francesco Molinari finished up +4 for the day, and he's joined by big hitter Bryson DeChambeau who surprisingly really struggled on Friday carding four bogeys and one double bogey.
Par 3 champion Tom Hoge joins them on +4, while all of Bernhard Langer, Rory McIliroy, Adrian Meronk, Kevin Kisner and Sergio Garcia make up the numbers finishing five-over par.
A big surprise addition to that list of names is Kurt Kitayama who has been in excellent form this season, having won the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this season. But he'll slump to +5 for his opening two rounds.
Cameron Champ comes in at +6, while Louis Oosthuizen, Jason Kokrak and Bubba Watson all carded seven-over after 36 holes.
It's safe to say, there was plenty of drama on day two.
AS IT STANDS AT THE TOP
Meanwhile here's how things look at the top of the standings...
Selected others - Projected cut +2
TIGER WATCH: WHAT WILL THE RAIN MEAN FOR THE 15-TIME MAJOR WINNER?
Tiger Woods is currently two-over par through 11 holes after going evens on the second day at The Masters.
He finished up his back nine with a bogey and a birdie on the seventh and eighth holes, getting three more holes in before the inclement weather stopped play.
With the projected cut sitting at around +2, Tiger has a bit of work to do today to make it into this weekend's action.
If he misses the cut, it will mean he will fall one short of Fred Couples and Gary Player, who have made 23 consecutive cuts at the Masters.
As we've seen throughout the week, Woods has struggled with an injury to his knee that has left him wincing and limping at times on the golf course in pain.
But could the rain help him this morning? Perhaps. The rain may slow down scoring at some of the players still out on the golf course ahead of him, which may allow Woods to pick up a few shots here and there in final seven holes.
He showed his brilliance with his wedge game yesterday, coming close to holing out on several holes, including the par 5 eighth, where he picked up his only birdie of the second round.
Let's hope he can climb away from the cut mark today and get up the ladder for the weekend!
Perfect speed. Perfect read. A birdie on No. 15 for Tiger Woods. #themasters pic.twitter.com/91ftFa7e2rApril 6, 2023
LESS THAN AN HOUR TO GO UNTIL PLAY RESUMES!
Play is set to re-commence at 7:00 (EDT) /13:00 (BST) and we're hearing good reports that the weather is holding off nicely this morning in Georgia.
Here's an update from the official Masters Twitter account.
It's Saturday at the Masters. #themasters pic.twitter.com/XbzGM2wgWWApril 8, 2023
SO WHO IS STILL OUT ON THE COURSE?
Play is set to commence in less than 40 minutes so let's quickly recap on some of the key players that are still out on the golf course!
- Sergio Garcia is currently five-over through 14 and will have to make a big push in the last four holes to make the cut, but it looks like a spot in this weekend's action could be out of his reach.
- Patrick Reed is also still out on the course and sits at a comfortable -4 through 14. He can still mount an attack on the top considering his experience winning here previously.
- Shane Lowry joins him at four-under through 13, with the Open Champion also in good shape heading into the weekend.
- His compatriot Seamus Power is currently teetering on the edge of the cut at +1 and will need a big last six holes today to ensure his ticket to the weekend.
- As mentionned Tiger Woods is still out on the golf course and like Power will be hoping to avoid the cut, with the American sitting at two-over par.
- He's joined in his group by Viktor Hovland, who sits at six-under at the top of the ladder and Xander Schauffele who is one-under with 8 holes to play.
- Justin Thomas (-2), Jon Rahm (-9) and Cameron Young (-5) make up one of the final groups on the golf course, and have nine holes left to play, meaning all three have a good chance of taking on the top order.
- And former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama leads the final group out on the course at -3, with himself, Cam Smith (-2) and Im Sungjae (-1) the last group out with eight holes to play.
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN WITHDRAWS
We're hearing reports that Louis Oosthuizen has withdrawn from The Masters due to injury.
Due to injury, Louis Oosthuizen has officially withdrawn from the Masters after completing 17 holes of his second round. #themastersApril 8, 2023
SUPERB SAM BENNETT GOES EIGHT UNDER
One of the big talking points from yesterday was amateur golfer Sam Bennett's outstanding charge on the top of the leader board.
The 23-year-old won the 2022 US Amateur last summer at Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey and has dazzled us with his performances over the last two days, going eight-under after 36 holes, to sit third in the leaderboard behind Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm.
The amateur sits four shots back from Koepka and believes he can win The Masters this week. If he does, he'll be the first amateur champion of a men's major since Johnny Goodman won the US Open in 1933.
But his story is an inspiring one, after his father, Mark, sadly passed away in 2021 due to Alzheimer's and Bennett has had 'Don't wait to do something', the last words his dad wrote, tattooed on his forearm.
After his second round, Bennett said his father was the reason why he started playing golf and said he 'is thrilled' knowing what Bennett has achieved here today.
"I've used it to stay focused and really be locked in to that one shot," Bennett said in relation to the tattoo on his arm. "[Looking at the tattoo] is like a new pre-shot routine that I do now right before I'm about to hit it.
"He has got a good view looking down at Augusta National and I know he is thrilled. I wish he could be here but he is happy, I know he is.
"He was the reason I started playing golf. I wanted to be good to impress him. I'm not waiting to do something this week."
He'll now advance into the weekend where he has a very good shot at mounting an attack on the top of the leaderboard.
But when questioned on the pressure of playing at the illustrious tournament that is The Masters, Bennet said he is relishing the pressure that comes with it.
"I love pressure. I love nerves. I try to use them to my advantage. I feel like I am experienced. I know it's The Masters and it's a bigger stage but I have played in front of a lot of people.
"I love playing when a lot is on the line. What do they say? 'Anything can happen on the weekend out here'.
"I am playing really well and I think I have got what it takes. I love hitting shots in front of people and making putts when it matters. I think I have a good chance. Now it's time for me to go out and enjoy it, soak it all in."
ITS NEARLY GO TIME!
Welcome back to Augusta National. #themasters pic.twitter.com/tBCohR0xGhApril 8, 2023
LET'S TEE THINGS UP WITH TIGER WHO STARTS HIS ROUND ON THE 12TH
He's got a tough shot here to start, and as Smylie Kaufman writes on Twitter, one that we don't envy him having to hit here on the par 3 12th!
TW faces a tough first shot this morning at 12. 50 degrees + wind and rain. I can’t imagine that being my first shot of the day… especially on the cut lineApril 8, 2023
SANDY LYLE: GOlFING LEGEND, HISTORY MAKER
Sandy Lyle is closing the books on his Masters career at this weekends tournament and was last night just about to take his final putt at The Masters before lightning stopped play.
The 1988 Masters Champion will hopefully be back again this morning to putt-out for the final time at Augusta National after he became the first Scottish player to ever win the Masters.
His accolades also include the Open Championship, the Players Championship, six PGA Tour Wins, 18 European Tour wins and a three-time European Tour Order of Merit winner.
For the final time in competition, Sandy Lyle, the 1988 Masters champion, finishes his round on No. 18. #themasters pic.twitter.com/Fnxg543DTvApril 7, 2023
PLAY CONTINUES!
The buzzer sounds and we have play again!
LET'S GO STRAIGHT TO TIGER, WHO PUTS IT WITHIN FOUR-FEET ON 12
Tiger Woods gets us underway on the par 3 12th and as expected, puts the ball within four-feet of the hole.
Stunning shot.
Play has resumed. #themasters pic.twitter.com/vxgcuIt7bpApril 8, 2023
RAHM PARS THE 10TH
Jon Rahm taps in on 10 to finish off a well earned par after his approach over the bunker left him with a lot to do with his flat-stick at the back of the green.
SMITH GOES CLOSE ON THE 9TH
Cam Smith starts his round off with a par too after coming very close to a birdie on the ninth, with an excellent putt 15-foot putt that left him just short of the green.
THAT'S A BIRDIE FOR YOUNG HE'LL GO SIX-UNDER
Cameron Young will go to six-under par after a stunning birdie on the 10th hole, winding a putt from left-to-right to give him an excellent start to the final eight holes.
SANDY SAYS FAREWELL
Sandy Lyle taps in to say farewell at the Masters at his 42nd appearance at the tournament. He doffs his cap and waves to the spectators before shaking hands with his playing partners.
Sandy Lyle's 42nd and final appearance at #theMasters has come to an end.What a run 🫡 pic.twitter.com/72qX884NtlApril 8, 2023
JON RAHM IS IN A SPOT OF BOTHER HERE ON 11
The Spaniard has found the trees on his tee shot on the 11 par 4 11th. He'll have an awkward shot out from the pine needles here to reach the green.
Rahm currently sits on -9 three shots back from solo leader koepka.
Meanwhile Viktor Holvand plops his ball on the dancefloor with Woods on 12.
I'M SEEING A LOT OF WET WEATHER GEAR ON SHOW HERE
While it seems relatively dry at the moment, with only a few umbrellas in sight, everyone's got their waterproof trousers and jackets on today in anticipation of downpours coming later on.
If you want some new wet weather gear, check out the excellent offerings in our best golf waterproof trousers guide!
RIGHT LETS GO BACK TO RAHM WHO'S BACK ON THE FAIRWAY
Playing from the pines, Rahm seems to have got himself out of some bother here, looping a high shot over the trees to come out just right of the green. He's still on for par here after an excellent recovery.
REED RUES MISSED PUTT
Patrick Reed who is -3 through 14 has just missed the chance to take his score to four-under, despite an excellent shot that left his ball just to the left of the hole. He taps in for par with three to play.
STEADY PAR FOR WOODS ON 12
Despite missing birdie after an excellent tee shot, Woods can't make his second putt but will go in for a steady par.
HERE'S LYLE'S LAST SHOT AT THE MASTERS
A day later, Sandy Lyle completes his Masters career. #themasters pic.twitter.com/etyDipXR4XApril 8, 2023
DOUBLE BOGEY FOR JUSTIN THOMAS AS RAHM NEARLY DRAINS CHIP
Jon Rahm has very nearly just chipped in after that terrible tee shot that left him in the pine needles. Amazing recovery from the Spaniard.
Unfortunately on the other side of the green Justin Thomas is having a few difficulties in his putting game and shoots twice to go down for a double bogey.
TIGER WOODS HAS COME OUT TO PLAY
Despite hitting an approach on 13th into the patrons on the right of the hole, Woods has recovered pitching his approach within six-feet from the green from about 180 yards.
He'll have another putt for birdie.
SANDY KISSES HIS PUTTER!
HERE'S RAHM'S RECOVERY FROM THE TREES
MORE PROBLEMS ON 11 FOR SMITH
Cam Smith has followed Jon Rahm's earlier lead and found the trees on the right hand side 11th.
Let's see what he can do from the pine needles.
VIKTOR HOVLAND GOES BACK TO -6
After dropping a shot on the 11th hole last night, the Norwegian is back again today and has picked up a birdie on his second hole after an excellent approach that looked like it might skirt off the back of the green. He makes a long par putt and that'll certainly give him a lot of confidence heading into the final five holes
JT NEARLY GETS ONE BACK
After a double on the 11th, Justin Thomas ALMOST chips in for birdie on the 12th after putting his tee shot off the back of the green.
SCHAUFFELE HOLES OUT FROM DISTANCE
Xander Schauffele - what a putt! The Olympic Champion has just holed out on the 14th with a monster birdie putt that sees him drop his score to -3!
PLAYERS STRUGGLING TO FIND THEIR RHYTHM IN THE CONDITIONS
We've seen a couple of wayward shots early on today. It seems like the cooler air and wetter conditions may have thrown a few of our players off this morning as they get dialled into the inclement conditions out there on the course.
The weather is still holding off at the moment but here's the forecast again for the rest of the day.
BROLLYS OUT!
RAHM REDUCES THE GAP TO KOEPKA - HE'S NOW 10-UNDER
Jon Rahm has birdied the par three 12 after a stunning tee shot that spun backwards about five-feet before tapping in to take the distance between him and Brooks Koepka to just two shots.
Hot take: Jon Rahm is very good at golf!
CAM YOUNG IS ON FIRE!
Cameron Young is playing out of his skin at the moment too! He birdies the par 3 12th hole to go T4 at seven-under.
He's certainly one to watch this weekend after he made the finals of the Dell Technologies Matchplay two weeks ago.
Here's his approach and putt on 12...
Cameron Young moves to seven under par. #themasters pic.twitter.com/4vLB23k4kvApril 8, 2023
...AND HERE'S RAHM'S BIRDIE TOO
Jon Rahm draws to within two of the lead with a birdie on No. 12. #themasters pic.twitter.com/4bhYVgQ2uvApril 8, 2023
FRED COUPLES: THE OLDEST PLAYER TO MAKE THE CUT
After shooting rounds of 71 and 74 on his opening two days at The Masters, it looks like Fred Couples is set to become the oldest player in the history of the tournament to make the cut at 63 years of age.
But when asked about playing in the rain today, Couples jokingly said he was a 'wimp' and implied he wasn't looking forward to the conditions as he doesn't play with gloves, but was excited to play nonetheless.
"Am I going to look thrilled to play 18 holes in this this afternoon? No, I'm a wimp. I'm an old wimp, but I'm excited to play. And I don't wear gloves.
"So I've got a couple of hours to try to figure out what I'm going to try and do if it stays like this all day long. But I am excited to make the cut. That's why I come here. The last four years have been really mediocre golf.
"Maybe one year I was semi close to making the cut. But that's my objective, and I did it. It's not like ha, ha, ha. Now I can screw around and play 36 holes for fun. I'm going to try and compete.
"Play a good pairing with some younger guys and watch them play. Like I said yesterday, I played with Alex Noren and Russell Henley and couldn't have had a better pairing."
Read more here on Fred Couples' historic achievement.
THAT'S A WRAP FOR SERGIO
Sergio Garcia finishes his round going bogey-birdie-bogey-bogey in an up-and-down round at Augusta that sees him finish seven-over and T71 in the rankings.
LARRY MIZE MAKES HIS FINAL SHOT AT THE MASTERS
Former Masters champion Larry Mize has played his last shot at his 40th and final Masters tournament going in at +15 for his second round.
Making his 40th and final Masters appearance, the 1987 champion Larry Mize takes in the moment on No. 18. #themasters pic.twitter.com/1ICbTf7AReApril 8, 2023
TIGER GOES CLOSE
Hard luck for Tiger who goes very close to holing out with his approach on 15! The moisture in the greens mean though that the ball catches too much spin and rolls back past the hole.
Meanwhile Viktor Hovland gets out of the bunker nicely.
JUSTICE IS SERVED! WOODS DROPS A SHOT
WOW! Tiger Woods gets his first birdie of the day holing out a simply stunning long-distance birdie putt to go +1 through 15. He sends the patrons in the grand stand behind the hole into pandemonium!
MORE PROBLEMS FOR JUSTIN THOMAS
Justin Thomas drops another shot on the 12th and he's just made par on 13. He's gone from -2 to +1, can he rescue his round with five holes to play?
A STUNNING SHOT FROM WOODS
Tiger Woods moves inside the projected cut line. #themasters pic.twitter.com/FH6tZxwQl8April 8, 2023
JT MIC'D Up
Justin Thomas is mic'd up on the course and has revealed his wake up time this morning was 4:45AM - WOW.
Speaking more on the conditions, Justin said: "When its like this its all past information out the window. I mean the good thing is the greens are softer and fresh but they skid a little.
"They take quite a big skid. I mean everybody's got to adjust but that's the way it is."
JT FINDS THE GREEN WITH HIS APPROACH
After talking to the commentators, Justin Thomas has found the green with his approach on 14. Cam Young also goes to within a few feet of the hole with his shot.
And it seems like the rain is starting to come down right now!
Speaking on his strategy for the next few holes, Thomas says on the mic: "I'll just try to make some pars and sprinkle in a birdie here too."
WONDERING ABOUT WHETHER YOU SHOULD PLAY WITH EAR BUDS IN?
Many golfers regularly warm up with a pair of headphones in their ears in, and here at Golf Monthly, we've got five key benefits for you to why you should start practicing with ear buds in.
YOUNG HITS A BIRDIE
After his fantastic approach shot and his bogey on the last hole, Cameron Young slots his birdie chance to go seven-under.
TIGER SAVES FOR PAR
It's a tricky putt, but no problem for the big cat - Tiger taps in on 16th to maintain his +1 score.
Meanwhile Hovland also taps in to keep his score for the hole level.
WHAT IS A SUB AIR COURSE SYSTEM?
Over the last two days, we've heard the words 'Sub-Air Course System' a lot from the commentary teams around Augusta, but what does that mean?
Amid the rainy conditions at Augusta National, the course will utilise its underground sub-air system to regulate moisture levels and provide aeration and heat control throughout the course, but mostly to the greens, to maintain high quality conditions in inclement weather conditions.
Looks like it is playing a key part in the conditions at The Masters today! But if you want to know more about how the system works, Fergus Bisset has you covered as he answers the question: What Is A SubAir System On A Golf Course?
JUSTIN THOMAS ON COURSE INTERVIEW IN FULL
On the move with Justin Thomas 🎧After Rory McIlroy on day one, Thomas is the latest to don the earbuds and speak to the media mid-round 😯 pic.twitter.com/iLJy6UPRG6April 8, 2023
BUBBA WATSON FINISHES NINE OVER AFTER 36
Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson has finished his second round at nine-over par after another disappointing day on the course shooting four-over 76.
JT NEARLY HOLES OUT!
It's a tough end result for Justin Thomas, who's dealt a though blow after hitting his approach on 15 to within milimetres of the hole. But the ball has a mind of its own and rolls back down the slope of the green giving him a 15-foot putt.
Rahm meanwhile goes one better and goes within two feet of the hole.
CANTLAY COMEBACK!
Back-to-back birdies for Patrick Cantlay sees him take his score back down to two-under.
The former FedEx cup champion has two more holes to play following an excellent comeback, after he hit a double bogey on day two.
POWER FINISHES WITH A BOGEY
Seamus Power finishes his morning one-over par with a bogey on the 18th, after going through level-par for the day.
WOODS DROPS A SHOT
He's now +2 heading into 18, after he fails to make a long putt on the 17th. A par on the last should take him through to the weekend.
Meanwhile Viktor Hovland misses a birdie putt by a fraction and misses out on going seven-under.
THOMAS GOES TO +2
Conditions are playing havoc out there and Justin Thomas drops another putt after what seemed to be an excellent put that just drifted wide of the hole.
Thomas is now two-over with three to play.
TIGER NEEDS A PAR TO PLAY THIS WEEKEND, CAN HE DO IT?
RAHM GOES TO ONE SHOT OFF THE LEAD
Jon Rahm is eating into Brooks Koepka's lead at the top of the table and has gone to eleven shots under with another three holes to play.
JON RAHM IS ONE BACK FROM THE LEAD
TIGER IS IN THE PINE STRAW
Pressure is on Tiger Woods on the 18th hole and he's struck his tee shot left into the pine straw along the banks of the fairway. What can he do from here?
CAN TIGER BREAK MASTERS HISTORY? A PAR COULD SAVE HIM
Fred Couples and Gary Player share the record with 23 consecutive made cuts at Augusta National.
Tiger currently sits at 22 consecutive cuts dating back to his win in 1997.
He's in the pine needles at 18 but can he rescue his hole to make par and make the cut?
TIGER BACK ON THE FAIRWAY
Looks like Woods has rescued nicely from the pine straw and is back on the fairway!
HERE'S HOW RAHM GOT TO 11-UNDER
Moving to 11 under and one back of Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm birdies No. 15. #themasters pic.twitter.com/vIaFiIvKSVApril 8, 2023
TOUGH APPROACH FROM TIGER
Woods can't quite get close to the flag with his approach on 18 leaving himself a very long putt up the slope for par.
XANDER FINDS THE GREEN FROM THE FIRST CUT
The rain is starting to come down hard here as Schauffele bumps his chip up from the ropes, but there's not enough speed on the shot and it gets caught in the friges around the green.
CAMERON SMITH GOES THREE UNDER
Cameron Smith goes three under with four to play after tapping in on 15.
RAHM BACK TO -10
Jon Rahm has dropped a shot on 16 and goes back to a two-shot deficit on Koepka at the top of the leaderboard.
TIGER WILL TWO-PUTT HERE FOR BOGEY
Tiger's fourth shot here is a winding putt up the slope and he does a fantastic job of putting his ball within yards of the hole. But he will not make par on the last. There is still a chance he can make the cut here.
TIGER TAPS IN TO FINISH THREE-OVER
Tiger taps in his final putt to go three-over through 36 holes. He might be back again this afternoon, but we will wait to see what happens as the cut is confirmed.
Right now though, its over to Dan Parker who will be taking you through to this afternoon's action!
All Eyes on Im & Thomas
So, for Tiger Woods to make a historic 23rd consecutive cut, we'll need one of Sung Jae Im or Justin Thomas to make a bogey coming in. The 18th holes is playing the second toughest on course today, so it will come right down to the wire.
Matsuyama on a roll
Looks like the conditions aren't affecting 2021 champ Hideki Matsuyama too much. Two birdies in four holes gets him to four-under for the tournament.
Rahm drains one
From off the green, Jon Rahm has just holed a putt that has closed him in to within one shot of Brooks Koepka. An immediate bounce back after the bogey on the 16th.
Cut moves to +3
There it is, a bogey for Justin Thomas on the 17th means all the players on +3 are now inside the cut line. That includes one Tiger Woods as well as a host of other big names
Rain, Rain, Rain
The rain is now drilling down at Augusta National. The players are still out there though and the green staff are working hard to keep the course playable as we prepare for the third round to begin.
Three balls, two tees
The tee times for this afternoon haven't been announced just yet. However it looks highly likely we'll see three balls going off two tees in an attempt to get round three finished by the end of today.
Round Three Imminent
There are just three groups left on course as the rains starts to ease slightly. We'll have news of round three tee times very soon
How Do They Keep The Greens Dry?
The SubAir system will be doing some seriously heavy lifting after the last hours deluge of rain. Puddles are apparently starting to form on course now but there seems to be enough wind to move the rain on quickly enough.
Koepka's Lead Grows
A bogey at the last means Jon Rahm will start round three two shots behind Brooks Koepka.
Brooks must be laughing away in the clubhouse right now. He finished his second round close to 18 hours ago now and avoided all of the bad weather yesterday's late starters have had to endure.
Thomas Misses The Cut
A fairly remarkable fall from Justin Thomas sees him play the last four holes in three-over par to miss the cut by one. He looks distraught on the final hole and is consoled by his caddie in the pouring rain.
Heartbreak for JT
Im makes the cut with final putt
The final putt of the second round finds the bottom of the cup for Sungjae Im - he needed that to make the cut. Tee times coming up...
LIV, Laugh, Love
With a few minutes before we hear any news on tee times, let's take a moment to reflect on the two rounds of golf we've just witnessed. Tiger has made history by making his 23rd consecutive cut, while McIlory and Thomas made a mess of their second rounds to crash out of the tournament.
For LIV Golf, it was a mixed bag when it came to which of its players made the cut this year.
Round Three Tee Times
It has been confirmed the field will go out in three balls with a two tee start. That means a final group of Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and young American amateur Sam Bennett will tee at off 1:06pm EDT (6:06pm BST). That should be box office viewing later today.
At the same time, Tiger Woods, Sungjae Im and Thomas Pieters will tee off on the 10th hole.
Tee Times In Full
Clean Up In Progress
With the first tee time at 11:30am EDT (4:40pm BST), the green staff are working hard to remove any puddles from the green.
100% chance of rain
Looking at the weather forecast for Augusta, Georgia, they are currently forecasting a 100% chance of rain right up until sunset. The wind will hover around 15mph and get up to around 20mph by the time the final groups hit the back nine.
Most importantly, the weather isn't stormy and the threat of lightning is low. As long as the course doesn't get too waterlogged, we should get a full day's play.
Featured Groups
Here's your featured television groups ahead of full live coverage later this afternoon.
11:30 a.m. Adam Scott, Patrick Cantlay, Cameron Smith (No. 1)
11:42 a.m. Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, Tony Finau (No. 10)
12:42 p.m. Sam Burns, Jordan Spieth, Cameron Young (No. 1)
1:06 p.m. Thomas Pieters, Tiger Woods, Sungjae Im (No. 10)
First Groups Are Out
Round three is underway with. Sepp Straka and Keegan Bradley have opened their accounts with birdies. Remember, groups will be teeing off the 1st and 10th as we try to make up lost time.
Cantlay Thriving, Johnson Stuttering
With the weather the way it is, I didn't expect to see many fast starts this afternoon. Patrick Cantlay is clearly using some momentum he gathered from this morning and is two-under through three holes. That's got him inside the top ten at four-under-par.
On the other end of the spectrum, Dustin Johnson started with a bogey followed by a triple. It will be fascinating to see how all these players deal with the cold temperatures and wet surroundings.
Another birdie for Cantlay
Three birdies in a row and Patrick Cantlay has catapulted himself into the conversation at the Masters. Four, three, two were his trio of scores.
