Golf

Tiger Woods makes difficult start to marathon second day at Augusta

The 15-time major winner played the delayed final five holes of his opening round in two over par.

Tiger Woods hits from the bunker on the 18th hole during his first round of 73 in the 88th Masters (George Walker IV/AP)
Tiger Woods hits from the bunker on the 18th hole during his first round of 73 in the 88th Masters (George Walker IV/AP) (George Walker IV/AP)

Tiger Woods took two steps backwards at the start of his marathon day as the 88th Masters resumed at Augusta National.

Woods was one of 27 players unable to complete their first rounds on Thursday following a lengthy weather delay, the 15-time major winner covering 13 holes in one under par.

Play resumed at 0750 local time (1250BST) on Friday and Woods bogeyed the 14th following a clumsy chip from short of the green, before scrambling for par on the 15th after another misjudged approach.

Woods then left birdie putts on the 16th and 17th short of the hole before dropping a shot on the last after failing to get up and down from a greenside bunker.

That gave the 48-year-old an opening 73 and just 49 minutes to rest or practice before his second round was scheduled to get under way.

Playing alongside Woods, Max Homa birdied the 16th and was an inch away from an eagle on the 17th before also making a bogey on the 18th to complete an otherwise excellent 67.

Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard had also compiled a 67 on his Masters debut to share third place with Homa, two shots behind leader Bryson DeChambeau.

Max Homa watches his tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the 88th Masters (George Walker IV/AP)
Max Homa watches his tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the 88th Masters (George Walker IV/AP) (George Walker IV/AP)

Former champion Jordan Spieth was heading for just his second missed cut in 11 Masters appearances after running up a quadruple-bogey nine on the 15th.

Spieth hit his third shot long, chipped back across the green into the water and, after taking a penalty drop, hit his sixth shot over the green once more.

From there the 2015 winner three-putted to slump to six over par.