Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm stir different emotions for Augusta leaders

AUGUSTA, Ga. — LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka is having himself quite a tournament nearing the halfway point of the third round of the 2023 Masters, but there is no doubt who the leader in the clubhouse is: Mother Nature.

Not even 24 hours after three tall pine trees crashed onto the course perilously close to dozens of spectators, miraculously injuring no one, according to tournament officials, the third round of the tournament was called off just after 3 p.m. Saturday due to a prolonged deluge that flooded the venerable greens of Augusta National Golf Club.

It was the second suspension of play in this Masters, following Friday’s second-round stoppage due to inclement weather when the trees fell near the 17th tee.

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All this focusing on crashing trees, sodden grass and ominous skies seems to be prolonging the inevitable: what could be a day of great angst for the powers that be in men’s golf, the day when a man who was kicked off the PGA Tour last year for taking Saudi blood money dons a green jacket as the winner of the first major of the year.

Koepka, 32, still has 12 holes to play in the third round before a full 18 in the fourth round Sunday, but he certainly was in command Saturday with a four-stroke lead over Spain’s Jon Rahm. Koepka managed one birdie and five pars during the miserable cold and rain over his first six holes of the third round to reach 13-under par for the tournament, four better than Rahm, who had a birdie, two bogeys and three pars.

Rahm, 28, had the misfortunate of bearing the brunt of the bad weather both Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, while Koepka luckily finished his second round before the weather turned ugly Friday and didn’t have to return to the course until the third round began.

Now they both face a very long, intense journey Sunday.

“I’m not too concerned about playing 29 holes or however many holes we’ve got left,” said Koepka, who won four majors from 2017-19 but has dealt with a series of injuries to his right knee the past few years. “It’s part of the deal. I’m pretty sure I’ll be up for it considering it is the Masters. So I don’t think anybody should have a problem with that.”

Then again, 29 or 30 holes of golf in one day is a lot for a man who now enjoys the no-cut, exhibition-style, 54-hole lifestyle of the Saudi-backed LIV circuit — albeit a man who is believed to not be the happiest golfer in the LIV stable.

If he…