DeChambeau, Homa take lead
Two early secondround birdies moved Max Homa into a share of the Masters lead with Bryson DeChambeau on Friday while Tiger Woods struggled through a difficult 23-hole walk in pursuit of history.
DeChambeau, the 2020 US Open winner, and Homa were both on seven-under par on the front nine early in the second round at Augusta National.
DeChambeau fired a sevenunder par 65 in round one to lead top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, the 2022 Masters champion, by a stroke after 18 holes.
Homa, among 27 players unable to finish round one Thursday due to a storm delay, sank a nine-foot birdie putt at the par-3 16th then dropped his approach inches from the hole at 17 and tapped in for birdie before a closing bogey left him with a firstround 67.
After breaking 70 for the first time in 13 Masters rounds, Homa birdied the par-5 second and rolled in a 36-foot birdie putt at the par-3 fourth to match DeChambeau atop the leaderboard.
DeChambeau parred to begin his second round.
Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard and Americans Cameron Young and Taylor Moore shared fourth on 4-under.
Woods, a 15-time major winner who has struggled to walk courses since a 2021 car crash, has made 23 consecutive Masters cuts to share the record with Gary Player and Fred Couples, but would grab the mark all to himself by finishing in the low 50 or level for 36 holes.
A Thursday rain delay allowed Woods to complete only 13 holes on day one, setting the stage for a dramatic 23-hole stroll Friday across hilly Augusta National.
The 48-year-old US legend is playing his first major since right ankle fusion surgery last April due to injuries from the accident.
That also makes this the toughest test of his surgically repaired legs and back, with emotion crackling as fans cheered Woods on the layout where he has won five green jackets, including his first major in 1997 and most recent major in 2019.