AUGUSTA
\nJon Rahm looked to make a back-nine charge on Saturday morning in pursuit of Brooks Koepka, who surged to a three-stroke lead in Friday\u2019s storm-halted second round of the Masters.
\nFour-time major winner and LIV Golf rebel Koepka seized command with a sizzling five-under par 67 at Augusta National before a storm that uprooted three trees suspended play until Saturday.
\nKoepka torched the par-5 holes for an eagle and three birdies in a bogey-free tour. His superb shotmaking followed an opening 65, his lowest Masters round, and left him on 12-under 132 for 36 holes, three strokes in front of Rahm.
\n\u201cIt was really solid. Didn\u2019t really do too much wrong,\u201d Koepka said. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to make birdies on these par 5s, take advantage of them, and did a good job of that.\u201d
\nAfter winning last week\u2019s LIV Golf event in Orlando, Koepka could produce the PGA Tour\u2019s nightmare scenario of a victory on one of golf\u2019s greatest stages by a player from the breakaway circuit.
\nBut third-ranked Rahm, the 2021 US Open champion and a three-time PGA Tour winner this year, made a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-5 eighth and a 12-footer for birdie at the ninth before he was halted on the 10th green.
\n\u201cI\u2019m feeling confident,\u201d Rahm said after his first round. \u201cHopefully I can keep it going.\u201d
\nThe Spaniard was among 39 players still on the course when three trees were toppled by gusty winds near the 17th tee and officials stopped play.
\nAugusta National said there were no injuries.
\n\u201cThe safety and well-being of everyone attending the Masters tournament will always be the top priority of the club,\u201d a statement from Augusta National said. \u201cWe will continue to closely monitor weather today and through the tournament.\u201d
\nKoepka, the 2017 and 2018 US Open champion and 2018 and 2019 PGA Championship winner, finished well before the storm.
\n\u201cThe biggest advantage I had was my tee time,\u201d Koepka said.
\nUS Amateur champion Sam Bennett fired a 68 to stand third on 136. The 23-year-old Texan could be the first amateur in a Masters last pairing in 65 years and was confident he can defeat Koepka.
\n\u201cI know that my good golf is good enough,\u201d Bennett said.
\nTwo-time major winner Collin Morikawa was fourth on 6-under 138 and Norway\u2019s ninth-rated Viktor Hovland was at 6-under through 10 holes.
\nAustralia\u2019s Jason Day and Americans Sam Burns and Spieth, a three-time major winner, were on 139.
\n\u201cThe benefit we have, those of us chasing, is that it\u2019s going to be incredibly difficult conditions,\u201d Spieth said. \u201cIt means a few under goes a long way.\u201d
\nKoepka birdied the par-5 second to grab the solo lead, then curled in a tricky 10-foot par putt at the third.
\nThe 32-year-old American eagled the par-5 eighth to become the fastest Masters player to 10-under since Jordan Spieth on his way to a 2015 victory, then birdied 13 and 15 also.
\n\u201cIt was a clinic for 36 holes,\u201d said Koepka\u2019s playing partner Gary Woodland. \u201cIt was impressive to see.\u201d
\nKoepka is among 18 qualifiers from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League at Augusta National, where talk of the PGA-LIV split has been set aside by players so they can focus on winning the green jacket.
\n\u201cI don\u2019t know if this is the place for healing those wounds,\u201d two-time Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal said.
\nThe PGA Tour banned players who jumped to the upstart series for record $25 million purses and 54-hol The events and a court fight is set for early 2024, but LIV players can compete in majors.
\nWorld number two Rory Mcllroy, who needs a Masters victory to complete a career Grand Slam, fired a 77 to stand on 149, three strokes over the projected cut line.
\nTop-ranked defending champion Scottie Scheffler struggled to a 75 to stand on 143.
\nTiger Woods, a 15-time major winner and five-time Masters champion, was level par through 11 holes and on the projected 2-over cutline overall.
\nWoods, 47, has missed the cut only once in 24 prior Masters starts, as an amateur in 1996, a year before his record-shattering first major triumph at Augusta.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
AUGUSTA Jon Rahm looked to make a back-nine charge on Saturday morning in pursuit of Brooks Koepka, who surged to a three-stroke lead in Friday\u2019s storm-halted second round of the Masters. Four-time major winner and LIV Golf rebel Koepka seized command with a sizzling five-under par 67 at Augusta National before a storm that uprooted […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":324677,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-324660","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n