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This year is the first time since Muirfield in 2013 that Tiger Woods has begun a major with back-to-back The par three eighth is clearly the hole to congregate on if fans want to see quality. On Thursday, Jordan Spieth showed how to circumvent a bunker by somehow putting up and around it to holeside, while yesterday, Keegan Bradley, the 2011 USPGA champion, displayed the art of getting out of a trap. The locals call that particular bunker 'The Eiger' and Bradley was facing directly into the north face of it. Up and down seemed unlikely but the US Ryder Cup man went one better. With a quick strike off the wet sand, he flipped up his ball and watched in delight as it landed just over the bunker lip and rolled in for a birdie.

rounds of par or better, a run going back five years and one day. Rory Mcilroy’s second straight round of 69 fits a pattern for his previous success. On four occasions he has started a major with back-toback rounds in the 60s. The return has been three wins and that famous tie for 15th at the 2011 Masters.

The world’s top two players – Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas (left) – both failed to make the cut after disastrous rounds, the first time the top two had missed an major cut since 1986.