Star Tribune columnist Jim Souhan's preview of the second round:
Souhan at the Masters: Watching for bad weather as well as good golf
Heavy winds and rain are expected to hit Augusta on Friday afternoon and last until Sunday morning. Will the tournament's finish be pushed into Monday?
April 7, 2023 at 11:15AM
Time change: The Masters moved the tee times up by a half-hour on Friday in anticipation of heavy winds and rain that are expected to hit Augusta on Friday afternoon and last until Sunday morning. The Masters hasn't been forced to finish on a Monday since 1983. Augusta National drains remarkably well and the powers that be crave a Sunday finish on CBS in prime time.
Local hero: Former Minnesota Amateur champion and Fargo native Tom Hoge shot a 74 in the first round and might have to play better Friday to make the Masters cut for the second time in two tries. He was 1-under on the 7th tee, then pushed his drive into the trees on the right. His chip-out ran through the fairway, to the left rough, leading to a double bogey.
Burning the edges: Scottie Scheffler, trying to become the fourth player to repeat as Masters champion, said he "burned the edges" on a number of key putts. He shot a 68 that could have easily been a 64. Will that frustrate or motivate him?
LIV and let …: Brooks Koepka was the lone LIV golfer to finish the first round on the first page of the leaderboard. The second-best LIV golfer on Thursday: Cam Smith, who shot a 70.
Spanish heritage: Jon Rahm idolized fellow Spaniard Seve Ballesteros. This is the 40th anniversary of Ballestero's last Masters victory, and Ballesteros would have turned 66 on Sunday. Rahm started the tournament with a double bogey. No one has won the Masters after starting with a double bogey since Sam Snead in 1952.
Ror-ing start: Rory McIlroy has shot par or worse in the past five first rounds of the Masters, a big reason he has not won this tournament.
Watch out below: What might not be evident on television is that Augusta National features steeps hills that become slick when wet. That can make it difficult for players on uneven lies, and for fans to walk the course without slipping and falling. You see a lot of muddy backs on days like this.
Frankie Capan III, who will be playing on the PGA Tour next year, finished at 13 under par at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship.
