Golf-Homa grabs early second round lead as Woods chases Masters record

As always the spotlight is on Woods as he bids for a record 24th consecutive made cut at Augusta National. The winner of five Green Jackets, Woods has produced a long list of magical Masters moments and will need to conjure up one more after finishing his opening round on one-over 73.

Max Homa drained two quick birdies to snatch the early second round lead from Bryson DeChambeau at the Masters on Friday as Tiger Woods was scrapping his way towards a piece of Augusta National history.

Homa, who had never broken par at Augusta until wrapping up his weather delayed first round on Friday morning with a five-under 67, was quickly back out on the course and on the move with birdies at the second and fourth to get to seven-under. DeChambeau had set the early target on Thursday carding his best ever Masters round of seven-under 65 but was unable to find any momentum in the windy conditions through the early going taking a bogey on the fourth to leave Homa alone atop the leaderboard.

Homa has six wins on the PGA Tour but has never been able to produce anywhere near his best at the majors missing the cut in eight of 12 starts with his best finish at the Masters a tie for 43rd last year. As always the spotlight is on Woods as he bids for a record 24th consecutive made cut at Augusta National.

The winner of five Green Jackets, Woods has produced a long list of magical Masters moments and will need to conjure up one more after finishing his opening round on one-over 73. The 48-year-old is facing a challenge that is certain to test his will and injury-battered body.

Woods had played just 24 holes this year coming into the Augusta and will try to play nearly as many in a single day as he eyes the Masters cut record and a sixth Green Jacket that he insists is within his reach. Under brilliant blue skies, the 15-times major winner appeared up for the fight mixing three birdies with the same number of bogeys through a rollercoaster front nine to remain at one-over but well clear of the projected four-under cut.

Still waiting to get their second rounds underway are world number one Scottie Scheffler, defending champion Jon Rahm and world number two Rory McIlroy. Scheffler, the red hot favourite for a second Green Jacket after posting two wins and a runner-up finish in his last three starts, opened with a bogey-free six-under-par 66 and about to head out one back of the lead.

McIlroy, in a high-profile group with Scheffler and Olympic champion Xander Schauffele, will look to build on his opening one-under 71 as the Northern Irishman makes a 10th attempt at completing a career Grand Slam of four majors. Spaniard Rahm, looking to become the fourth golfer to win back-to-back Green Jackets, will try to get his title defence on track after a lacklustre opening one-over 73.

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