AUGUSTA - Windy conditions at Augusta National will be a major factor today as the second round of The Masters gets underway with 8:00am (ET) tee-times. Although the forecast is for sunny skies and temperatures ranging from a chilly 49-degrees for first tee times but warming to 66-degrees by 5:00pm (ET), winds will blow at 3 mph in the morning and build to 21 mph by 5:00pm (ET).
To say the least, shot making and putting will be an adventure today, especially for the later afternoon groups. That will include Tiger Woods, Louis Oosthuizen and Joaquin Niemann who tee-off at 1:41pm (ET). Niemann, yesterday, shot three-under (69) and is two shots off the leader, Sungjae Im who carded five-under (67).
Woods, an 82-time PGA Tour winner and five-time Masters Tournament champion, opened with a 1-under (71) and is T-10 in his first competitive round since the final round of the 2020 Masters (508 days ago).
Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama is T-19 after shooting even-par 70. The last player to successfully defend his Masters title was Tiger Woods in 2002.
Cameron Smith (2nd) and Scottie Scheffler (T-3), both winners in their most recent starts on the Tour, are within two strokes of the lead. The last player to win on the PGA Tour and win a major in his next start was Jordan Spieth, at the 2017 Travelers Championship In Hartford and the Open Championship in Britain.
Scheffler, who has three wins in his last five starts, is making his first start as World No. 1 (also No. 1 in the FedEx Cup standings). Four of the six players at T-3 or better have won on Tour this season, combining for seven wins (3/Scheffler, 2/Smith, 1/Sungjae Im, and 1/Joaquin Niemann).
Two past champions are tied for third place: Dustin Johnson (2020) and Danny Willett (2016)
Leaderboard | After 18 Holes
Sungjae Im 67 (-5)
Cameron Smith 68 (-4)
Danny Willett 69 (-3)
Joaquin Niemann 69 (-3)
Scottie Scheffler 69 (-3)
Dustin Johnson 69 (-3)
Full Leaderboard: (link)
The Masters 2022 | Special Discount | Best offer of the PGA Tour Season
The Masters:
COURSE: Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
ARCHITECT: Dr. Alister MacKenzie and Bobby Jones Jr.; Perry Maxwell in 1937
YARDS/PAR: 7,475 yards/Par 72
2021 PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $11,500,000/$2,070,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Hideki Matsuyama
PAST RESULTS: (link)
PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 600
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @The Masters
TV COVERAGE: The Masters Tournament is set for coverage from 8:00am to 7:30pm (ET) on The Masters Network. On Saturday, coverage is set for 10:00pm to 7:00pm (ET) on the Masters and 3:00pm to 7:00pm (ET) on CBS. On Sunday, The Masters goes from 10:15am to 7:00pm (ET) and CBS coverage runs from 2:00pm to 7:00pm (ET).
PGA TOUR LIVE STREAMING on ESPN+: Streaming coverage from The Masters is scheduled for coverage today from 8:00am to 7:30pm (ET) on The Masters Network/ESPN+. On Saturday, coverage is set for 10:00pm to 7:00pm (ET) on the Masters and ESPN+ while Sunday The Masters streaming goes from 10:15am to 7:00pm (ET) on the home site and ESPN+
PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: Live Tournament coverage will air each day through April 10, starting at 2:00pm (ET) and running through the completion of play. Additionally, each day before the broadcast begins, SiriusXM will provide live look-in coverage of featured groups during its programming in the morning and early afternoon. … Mike Tirico will be the lead play-by-play voice from 4pm ET through the conclusion of play each day. World Golf Hall of Fame member Curtis Strange will be the lead analyst for the Saturday and Sunday rounds.
How to Watch/Stream the PGA Tour Live: (ESPNCom)
How to Watch: In case of changes, visit: (PGATourCom)
The Basics:
Tournament site: The Masters
The Masters - Tee Times start today at 8:00am (ET) and go to 2:03pm (ET).
Weather: Today’s forecast calls for sunny but windy conditions. Temperatures ranging from a chilly 49-degrees but warming to 66-degrees as the winds increase from 3 mph to 20-21+ mph in the afternoon. Saturday calls for windy conditions, again, but Sunday is shaping up to be the nicest day of the week.
PGA Tour Brunch will post at 7:30am (ET) on Saturday.
The Masters - The Field and Tee Times:
The Field: (link)
Update: Paul Casey (WD)
Tee Times: (link)
What They’re Saying:
The Weekend Awaits (The Masters)
Sungjae Im Leads After 18 Holes (ESPN.com/Wire Services)
Tiger Woods is not ready to play like an Old Man (ESPN.com)
Cameron Smith’s birdie binge marred by bookend doubles (Golf Week/USA Today)
Paul Casey WD before first round (Golf Week/USA Today)
How to Watch (R-2) of The Masters (The Sporting News)
Next Week: RBC Heritage
On This Day in Golf History:
April 8, 1990 - Nick Faldo won his second consecutive Masters Tournament and the third major of his career, beating 47-year old Raymond Floyd on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff. At No. 10, Floyd hit his seven iron approach shot into the water and Faldo two putted from 18-feet to clinch the win. - Courtesy of Randy Walker, Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt:
PGA TOUR Brunch is brought to you by Digital Sports Desk. Subscriptions to PGA Tour Brunch are the perfect gift for your friends and/or family members who love pro golf. See the Masters Special Discount and forward to your golfing buds and friends in the sports world - HERE.