Tiger Woods sets another Masters record with 24th consecutive made cut after grueling second day
· New York PostAUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods broke yet another record at Augusta National.
The 48-year-old Woods broke the record for most consecutive cuts made at the Masters with his 24th on Friday.
He’s 1-over par and still on the outskirts of contention to win his record sixth green jacket.
“It means I have a chance going into the weekend,’’ Woods said. “I’m here. I have a chance to win the golf tournament. I got my two rounds in. I just need some food and some caffeine, and I’ll be good to go.’’
Woods had to complete the final five holes of his first round on Friday morning because play was suspended due to weather and darkness on Thursday.
He closed out an opening-round 1-over-par 73 and then shot even par in his second round.
His 24th made cut in a row eclipsed the record shared by his good friend Fred Couples, whose streak ran from 1993-2007, and Gary Player, whose went from 1959-82.
“As soon as I’m done with you guys [reporters], I’ll be able to text Freddy and give him a little needle,’’ Woods joked.
Asked to assess his position entering the weekend, Woods, who last won the Masters in 2019, said, “I’m right there. I’m only eight [shots] back as of right now (at the end of his round leader, Bryson DeChambeau, was still on the course and at 7-under).
“I don’t think anyone is going to run off and hide right now, but it’s really bunched. The way the ball is moving on the greens, chip shots are being blown, it’s all you want in a golf course today.’’
Woods had to withdraw from the 2023 Masters on Saturday morning because of physical ailments and cold, rainy conditions.
He’s completed only one 72-hole full-field tournament in the past two years.
“Yeah, I’m tired,’’ he said. “I’ve been out for a while, competing, grinding. It’s been a long 23 holes, a long day. But … I really did some good fighting today, and we’ve got a chance.’’
Woods, when asked before the tournament how proud he is of the consecutive cut streak, said, “It’s consistency, it’s longevity, and it’s an understanding of how to play this golf course. That’s one of the reasons why you see players that are in their 50s and 60s make cuts here, or players in their late 40s have runs at winning the event, just the understanding of how to play it.”
Max Homa, who played the first two rounds with Woods and is 6-under par, said he found it “hard to put into words’’ what it meant being a part of the Woods experience the past two days.
“You feel the crowd on every shot, the anticipation and then the admiration,’’ Homa said. “At times in the last two days, I’ve just looked over and enjoyed myself as a fan … with a slightly better seat.
“Just getting to watch him play the last two days was incredible. He has so much control of his golf ball.’’
Homa called Woods setting the cuts record “some good work,’’ adding, “It was hard out there, and we had to play a lot of golf, so it was impressive to see him do that.’’