AUGUSTA, Ga. — It’s beginning to look like Brooks Koepka’s Masters Tournament to win this weekend. The way he’s playing, it’s hard not to like his chances, though others will have a say. It could be a matter of when, since the tournament is in a holding pattern and could be headed to its first Monday finish since 1983.
It’s advantage Koepka. The first-round co-leader is among the 47 players, out of 86 starters, to finish 36 holes before Friday’s inclement weather shut down the 87th Masters, with Koepka holding a four-shot clubhouse lead over college golfer Sam Bennett.
The leaderboard could change, since 39 players have yet to complete their rounds, including Jon Rahm, a first-round co-leader. Rahm and the rest hope to do so Saturday morning, starting at 8, weather permitting.
Rahm is coming off back-to-back birdies on Nos. 8 and 9 and sits three behind Koepka. Next comes another first-round co-leader, Viktor Hovland, who is 1-over for his round and six shots behind Koepka, along with Collin Morikawa, who has completed his round.
There is a question of how many holes the players will complete on Saturday. The forecast is for all-day rain, including a 95 percent chance at 7 a.m. when temperatures will be in the low 50s.
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Koepka, a major championship specialist who thrives in the spotlight, continued his torrid play on Friday.
Koepka, who on Thursday opened with his career-low in the Masters, 65, followed that with 67 on Friday is now at 12-under 132. It’s the lowest 36-hole score since Jordan Spieth set the record at 130 in 2015. The record had been 131 by Raymond Floyd in 1976. Both Floyd and Spieth rolled to victories, Floyd by eight shots and Spieth by four.
Of course, Rahm still has nine holes to play in the third round. He shot 4-under 32 on the back nine on Thursday and, if he does that in second round, he’d be at 131.
Bryson DeChambeau caught some grief before the 2020 Masters when he said Augusta National was a par-67 layout for him because of his length off the tee.
Koepka has been besting that boast, averaging 66.5 per round. He has cleaned up on the par 5s, playing the eight holes in 7 under through two rounds. He has birdied Nos. 2 and 15 both days. On No. 8, he’s gone birdie-eagle and on No. 13, he has a bogey and a birdie. It is Koepka’s lone bogey of the tournament.
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