Scheffler, Homa, DeChambeau tied after two rounds at Masters.
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- World No. 1
Scottie Scheffler,
Max Homa and LIV Golf's
Bryson DeChambeau all hold a share of the lead at the 2024 Masters after the first two rounds at Augusta National Golf Club.
Through two days, this tournament has featured only 14 scores under par, as high winds have befuddled some of the best players in the world across 36 holes. DeChambeau, who held the lead at 7-under heading into Friday, shot a 73 - eight strokes worse than his first-round 65 - but was able to stay atop the leaderboard going into Saturday.
I'm very excited. I get an opportunity to show my skill set, and hopefully it's good enough to do something special this weekend," DeChambeau said. "I feel like the game is in a great spot. Mindset is in a solid place. Caddie is keeping me in check. We're joking out there, having fun in some tough conditions. So I feel like everything is lining up pretty well."
To be able to don a green jacket, DeChambeau will have to fight off the 2022 Masters champion Scheffler, who has won twice already this season and was the favorite heading into the week. Scheffler began the second round one shot off DeChambeau's first-round lead and shot an even par round of 72 Friday after dealing with brutal wind conditions during his late round in the afternoon.
Homa, whose best finish at Augusta is a tie for 43rd last year, has appeared comfortable in these conditions, shooting one of the few under-par rounds on Friday. Homa also excelled in tough conditions at last year's Open Championship where he finished tied for 10th - his best-ever finish at a major. On Friday, Homa said the wind has pushed him to be patient in order to maintain pace with Scheffler and DeChambeau.
"I've really done everything quite well on the golf course," Homa said. "But most proud of what's gone on with our course management and just controlling thoughts and expectation and all that. So it's been fun."
"He's got all the talent in the world,"
Tiger Woods said of Homa, his playing partner during the first two rounds. "I got a chance to play with him at the Open Championship at St Andrews, and his ball flight, as solid as he hits it, it's just a matter of time before he starts winning in bunches. I saw it up front; he doesn't really mishit shots. That's something you just have to do around this golf course."
The last time three players representing the United States were tied for the 36-hole lead in a major was the 2012 PGA Championship when Woods,
David Toms and
Jim Furyk shared the lead.
Denmark's
Nicolai Højgaard fell all the way down to 3-under and rose all the way up to 6-under during his Friday round, but eventually, the 2023 Ryder Cup member shot a 1-over 73 and settled at 4-under, good enough for fourth place.
Two-time major winner
Collin Morikawa has two top-10 finishes at the Masters in the last two years and has a chance for another one after a 2-under round of 70. Along with Homa, Morikawa is the only other player who has shot two rounds under par.
Australian
Cam Davis has only ever played in one Masters during 2022 and finished tied for 46th. This time around, Davis has quietly shot one round under-par and another at even par Friday to put himself only three back of the leaders. Sweden's
Ludvig Åberg is a first-time participant at Augusta and after a first-round 73, Aberg shot the low round of the day (69) Friday and jumped all the way up to 2-under and seventh place heading into the weekend.