Tiger makes cut at Masters for record 24th time

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods claimed more history at August National on Friday, making the cut for a record 24th consecutive time.

Of course, his sights were fixated on a far greater goal — a record-tying sixth green jacket.

Woods broke the cut record he shared with threetime champion Gary Player, who advanced to the weekend 23 straight times beginning in 1959, and 1992 winner Fred Couples, whose own streak lasted until 2007.

It was a grueling day for the five-time Masters champion, even more so considering the 48-year-old has endured numerous injuries, countless surgeries and a devastating car wreck that nearly cost him his right leg.

Woods was back at the course before sunrise to finish up the final five holes of his opening round, which was cut short by darkness after storms Thursday morning delayed the start of the tournament by 2 1/2 hours.

He made a couple of bogeys to complete a 73, then had less than an hour to rest up for another 18 holes.

With the wind howling again at Augusta National, Woods had to do all sorts of scrambling to compensate for one wayward approach shot after another. But he kept pulling off nifty chips and clutch putts to keep his score safely above the cut line, which was projected at 4 over when he finished his round.

“I was forced to get up-and-down a few times today, and I was able to do that,” Woods said. “A lot of those chip shots I was able to get up-and-down because I left it in the perfect spot, and that’s understanding how to play this golf course . ... Most of the up-and-downs I was in a perfect spot.”

Woods went through a stretch of six straight holes before the turn where he made nothing but birdies or bogeys, but he settled things a bit on the back nine with a single bogey at the 14th — where his approach from 150 yards sailed into the gallery behind the green — and a two-putt birdie at the par-5 15th after clearing the pond with two booming shots.

Woods headed into the weekend likely to face a daunting deficit, with leader Bryson DeChambeau at 7 under with three holes remaining.

ASHLEY LANDIS / ASSOCIATED PRESS Tiger Woods watches his chip on the 18th hole during the second round at the Masters on Friday. Woods played well enough over the first two rounds to make the cut for the 24th time, breaking a tie for the record.