What to Expect on Day 2 of the Masters in 2020
The rain shower on Thursday morning at Augusta National sufficiently clouded the plans for the Masters in 2020. But after a nearly three-hour delay that thwarted Bryson DeChambeau & # 39; s strategy for domination – rebounding from a double bogey on the 13th hole of par 5 to shoot a two-under-par 70 – the game turned. resumed with 27 of the 48 players who had finished their rounds by breaking par for the day. Among them was reigning champion, Tiger Woods, who registered a four-under-68 on Day 1 and finished three strokes behind the leader, Englishman Paul Casey.
Friday in Augusta should provide more clarity: with no rain forecast, the club's notoriously rippling greens should play faster and cause some separation in the logjam from the standings.
Back-nine starters may have an advantage. the second nine, as the 10th hole is historically the toughest at Augusta National.
If the tournament was in April, when it is traditionally held, he needn't have worried as all players start at No. 1. But in November, with daylight at a premium, Augusta National officials had no choice but to send players of both nines.
On Thursday, the side where players started their rounds made a difference in their scores, but not in the way that Casey had worried it might.
For right-handers like Casey, the best play off the 10th tee is a right-to-left hook, but if the shot goes too far to the left, trees come into play. said, “It's not the easiest tee shot. I prefer to start at 1.
And yet Casey birdied out of 10th on his way to seven-under-65, as the 24 early wave players who started at number 10 averaged 71.2. Those who started with No. 1 averaged 72.4 on the par-72 format.
Woods also went down to number 10 and ripped it off in a bogey-free lap.
Dustin Johnson, World No. 1, and Rory McIlroy, who can complete a career Grand Slam with a Masters victory, hope the trend continues; they are among the players to hit number 10 for their second round when they return to the track on Friday to complete their first 18.
The cut will not be made until Saturday.
Augusta National's decision this year to introduce a stiffer cut looked like a stroke of genius after electrical storms swept the area on Thursday. The delay pretty much guaranteed the 96-man field wouldn't complete the second round by sunset at 5:25 PM. and that it could not be canceled until Saturday morning.
After the 2019 tournament produced the largest weekend field – 65 – in Masters history, club officials decided to remove the rule that had secured a weekend berth for every player within 10 strokes of the 36 holes leader.
The number of qualifiers this weekend will be the lowest 50, including a tie.
Fred S. Ridley, the president of Augusta National, said on Wednesday that officials were arguing the change because the more forgiving 10-stroke rule had allowed players to continue on Saturday and Sunday, even if they would don't seriously fight for a green jacket.
"For the past few years I think we only had two players who were in the fight who only made the cut because of the 10-shot rule," said Ridley. "Although it certainly can happen," he added. add to it, "It just isn't like that."
Alan Blinder contributed to this report.
