CNN
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What a distinction a 12 months makes.
Brooks Koepka leads The Masters by three strokes after storms suspended the second spherical. The American’s earlier Friday at Augusta Nationwide, having missed the reduce, ended very otherwise.
“I believe final 12 months, I don’t even know if I needs to be saying this, however fairly positive I attempted to interrupt the again window with my fist of the automobile,” Koepka advised reporters.
“Not as soon as however twice. First time didn’t go, so figured strive it once more. It was a whole lot of frustration final 12 months, tremendous annoying, however I’ve come a great distance since then.”
A lot of that frustration, Koepka added, was well being associated.
A number of accidents – together with a torn patella tendon and a shattered knee – had compounded a painful fall from the summit for the previous world No. 1. After profitable 4 majors in a historic run between 2017 and 2019, two years later Koepka admitted to questioning if his profession is perhaps over.
The LIV Golf star’s battle to return to phrases together with his drop off was laid naked in Netflix’s “Full Swing” docuseries, however in March Koepka advised CNN he was out of his “funk” and targeted on a fifth main title.
The purpose was to be up to the mark by The Masters, and Koepka has stored his phrase, setting a livid early tempo on his eighth look at Augusta.
Having opened with seven-under 65 to steer from the entrance with Jon Rahm and Viktor Hovland, Koepka took benefit of an earlier tee off time Friday to tug forward of the duo with a second spherical 67.
Rahm closed the hole to a few pictures earlier than the horn blew midway by means of his spherical, whereas Norway’s Hovland sits six pictures adrift of the chief with eight holes left to play.
An eagle on the eighth helped Koepka tie the third-lowest rating by means of two rounds in Masters historical past, simply two pictures shy of Jordan Spieth’s 2015 file of 130, in keeping with the PGA Tour.
A two-time winner on the US Open and PGA Championship respectively, a primary inexperienced jacket would edge the 32-year-old Floridian nearer to “the entire objective”: the profession grand slam.
“I really feel like all of the greats have gained right here they usually have all gained British Opens as properly,” Koepka mentioned.
“I suppose it’s another field for me to tick to actually really feel like I’ve completed what I ought to have completed on this sport.”
Solely six gamers have ever gained all 4 majors, a quantity set to stay unchanged for no less than another 12 months after Rory McIlroy endured one other painful afternoon at Augusta Nationwide.
The Northern Irishman arrived in Georgia a inexperienced jacket away from finishing the profession slam however left himself with an uphill climb after an even-par 72 left him tied for thirty seventh following the primary spherical.
Issues went from dangerous to worse on Friday as seven bogeys plunged McIlroy to a five-over 77. When play was suspended, McIlroy was tied for 61st, three pictures away from the projected reduce line and all however assured to overlook the weekend for the third time in his 15 Masters appearances.
Tiger Woods’ hopes of constructing it to the third spherical stay within the steadiness. The five-time Masters champions sits on the projected reduce line at two-over par with seven holes of his second spherical left to play.
Novice Sam Bennett starred as soon as once more, capturing a second consecutive four-under 68 to finish the day 4 strokes behind Koepka. The 23-year-old Texan has stolen hearts at Augusta Nationwide, enjoying with a tattoo that illustrates the ultimate piece of his recommendation from his father, who died after a battle with Alzheimer’s illness in 2021.
Play resume∂ at 8:00 a.m. ET on Saturday however with extra rain anticipated, additional delays might be potential.
