2023 Masters: Tiger Woods survives cut with help from Justin Thomas; tougher conditions await
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Tiger Woods on Saturday tied the record for the most consecutive cuts made at the Masters – but only after a little help from his friend.
Woods looked set to miss his first cut as a professional at Augusta National after back-to-back bogeys to finish his second-round 73 in cold, soggy, miserable conditions. But Justin Thomas, playing two groups behind Woods, came undone on the second nine, playing his last eight holes in 6 over par.
Thomas’ bogey on the 17th hole moved the cut line for the top 50 and ties from 2 over par to 3 over – where Woods was already in the clubhouse at 3-over 147.
Full-field scores from the 87th Masters Tournament
When Woods spoke to reporters, Thomas’ cut-line-altering score on 17 hadn’t yet been posted.
“I’ve always love this golf course, and I love playing this event,” Woods said. “Obviously, I’ve missed a couple with some injuries, but I’ve always wanted to play here. I’ve loved it. I wish I get a chance to play two more rounds.”
By sneaking inside the halfway cut on the number, Woods made his 23rd consecutive cut at the Masters, tying him for the most all time with Fred Couples and Gary Player. Woods didn’t play the year’s first major in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2021 while recovering from various injuries.
When play resumed at 8 a.m. ET Saturday, Woods, dressed in a waterproof vest and light sweater, faced one of the most difficult shots in golf – the 145-yard 12th hole – in temperatures that were 40 degrees cooler than on Friday afternoon. He stuffed his 9-iron to 4 feet, but then didn’t hit the hole with his birdie attempt.
Despite a steady rain that intensified as he progressed through his round, Woods scratched out a few pars before adding a lone birdie on the par-5 15th, when he holed a 25-foot putt after his wedge approach clanked off the flagstick and drifted away from the hole.
“At least it didn’t go in the water this time,” said Woods with a smirk, referring to his bad break at the 2013 Masters that led to a bogey, rules controversy and eventual T-4 finish.
“Made a good putt there and then just didn’t finish well.”
Indeed, a flared tee shot into the right trees cost Woods a shot on the 17th hole, and then he heeled his drive on 18 that crashed into the left trees and left him 50 feet away for par.
The back-to-back bogeys didn’t derail his bid for Masters history, but it did leave him 15 shots behind leader Brooks Koepka and with a quick turnaround for Round 3 in conditions that were rapidly deteriorating.
Thomas was not quite as fortunate after a second-round 78.
His second-nine freefall may have bailed out his boyhood hero, but it put him one shot outside the cut line and headed home early.