Masters Tournament | Five stories to follow in the third round

Conditions are expected to be mild on the Augusta National property on Saturday, although the wind could continue to blow into the early afternoon. However, it is in the third round that the real tournament begins and there will be interesting stories to follow during the day.

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The return of the Tiger

At 12:45 p.m., Tiger Woods will tee off in the third round of the Masters Tournament for the 24^e consecutive times. Another record that could fill the Wikipedia page for the greatest winner in the history of golf. Le Tigre finished on a high note on Friday after a 23-hole day. Everyone is eager to know how their body will react to this overload. Despite his injuries, he played quality golf in the second round. He hit the ball with poise and his play on the greens allowed him to survive. He will be paired with Tyrrell Hatton.

The threat of champions

In the middle of the day, almost all the players who played under par during the first two rounds can hope to join the leaders at -6. Of the lot, Cameron Smith (-1) and Collin Morikawa (-3) should not be dismissed too quickly. The first won the British Open in 2022 and the second won it a year earlier in addition to having triumphed at the PGA Championship in 2020. Their specialty, the short game, will be an advantage in this third round without bad weather . Both finished their second round very well, especially Morikawa with three birdies in his last six holes.

The Nordic delegation

Nicolai Hojgaard and Ludvig Aberg must make many people on the Baltic Sea proud. The first is Danish, he is 23 years old, he has never won on the PGA Tour circuit and he is participating in the Masters Tournament for the first time. The second is Swedish, he is 24 years old, he has one career title and he is also on his first experience. However, the two Scandinavians have stood out since the start of the week. Hojgaard follows the leading group, at -4, despite two bogeys to end his round. As for him, Aberg, with his absolutely sublime momentum, brought home the best card on Friday with a 69, thanks to two birdies at Amen Corner.

The rise of Max Homa

Homa has an annoying habit of crashing in major tournaments. He said it himself earlier this week. This is why seeing him among the leading group after two rounds is surprising. But it’s also pleasant, because Homa is a golfer appreciated by his peers and amateurs, because he doesn’t worry, he has kept his childish heart and he is capable of the best and the worst. Many people identify with the American. The end of his first round, played Friday morning, propelled him. He stayed the course during the second round, even if his play on the greens hurt him somewhat (1.85 average).

The cockfight

Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler impose a lot, but for different reasons. DeChambeau, massive and charismatic, has transformed himself over the past year. He has become much more friendly and pleasant on the pitch and his short game is making him better. On the other hand, Scheffler, his innate nonchalance and his disconcerting calm helped him conquer the golf world. Both are -6, with Homa. Friday, they never stopped following each other. The fight promises to be extremely close. It will be very interesting to see how they can continue to coexist on the paths of Augusta National even if they will not be in the same duo. Both can win, but Scheffler, the world number one, starts with a slight advantage.