Tiger Woods advances to the Masters for a record 24th consecutive year

Woods is aiming for a record sixth green jacket.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) – A howling blast – the kind that had wreaked havoc at Augusta National all day – hit the 18th green just as Tiger Woods was lining up for one other thorny putt. Fine particles of sand rose from the pearly white bunkers and lashed against the slippery green surface.

One caddy’s hat was blown off. Woods quickly turned around, avoiding the potentially painful daggers thrust into his eyes.

Do not worry.

It was just a breezy respite on the way to one other piece of Masters history on Friday.

When the outburst had died down enough to look again, Woods made a 5-foot putt for a par-par 72 for a record-tying 24th consecutive time.

Of course, he had his eyes on a much larger goal – a record sixth green jacket.

Woods surpassed the mark he shared with three-time champion Gary Player, who had advanced to the weekend 23 times in a row since 1959, and 1992 winner Fred Couples, whose streak stretched to 2007.

“I’m here. I have a chance to win the golf tournament,” said Woods, who was 1-for-145 through 36 holes and 7 shots off the lead. “I’ve got two rounds already. I just need some food and some caffeine and I’ll be ready.”

It was a grueling day for the five-time Masters champion, especially since the 48-year-old suffered quite a few injuries, countless surgeries and a devastating automotive accident that nearly resulted in the lack of his right leg.

Woods returned to the course before sunrise to complete the final five holes of his opening round, which was cut short by darkness after storms Thursday morning delayed the start of the tournament by 2 1/2 hours.

He made several bogeys to finish with a 73, then had lower than an hour to rest before playing the next 18 holes.

Remarkably, on Friday he played only one hole lower than his total over the first three months of the year, and his improved body was now not able to deal with the regular schedule of events.

Even with this limited preparation, there’s something about Augusta National that at all times brings out the best in Woods.

“Yes, I’m tired. I was away for a while, competing and grinding. It was a long 23 holes, a long day,” he admitted. “But Lance (Bennett, his caddie) and I really put up a good fight today and we have a chance.”

Stewart Hagestad, an amateur who didn’t make the cut, was delighted with Woods’ performance.

“This guy has barely played at all in the last calendar year and he already has 1 year under his belt,” Hagestad said. “It’s a foreign thing. It’s unbelievable.”

While the crowd around the 18th green roared like it was Sunday, Woods’ steely demeanor turned into a broad smile as soon as the round ended. He hugged playing partner Jason Day and gave Bennett another big hug before walking triumphantly to the clubhouse as fans lined up on ropes four and five deep to applaud his effort.

“It was amazing,” said Max Homa, who accomplished the three-pointer with Woods and Day. “I always just wanted to watch him hit irons here and I was right next to him. It was really cool. His short game was really good. I don’t think I can explain how good some of his shots were today.”

Homa, who shared the lead with Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler at 6-under 138, was comfortable to hand the highlight over to Woods.

“He’s special,” Homa said. “The repair happened really quickly and if I felt tired and terrible, I imagine he felt even worse.”

Homa was extremely impressed with the way Woods kept his composure on the 18th green as the sand kicked up in gusts of up to 40 miles per hour for the second day in a row.

“We had a sand blast for 45 seconds and I turned around five times to avoid getting smashed in the face and he stood there like a statue and then he poured it right down the middle,” Homa said. “All the stereotypes you hear about him and all the old stories about how he’s going to handle it, it was cool to see it in person.”

Woods was as accurate as he’s ever been as a Masters skilled, hitting 25 of 28 fairways in the first two rounds. However, one wayward approach after one other forced him to make various attempts.

Fortunately for Woods, he knew where to miss, so he kept making nice chips and catchy putts to keep his rating safely above the cut line, which ended up being 6 overs.

“I was forced to go up and down a few times today and I did it,” Woods said. “I was able to hit a lot of those chips up and down because I left them in the perfect spot, and that means understanding how to play that golf course.”

Woods passed a section of six straight holes before the turn, where he only made a birdie and a bogey, but calmed things down a bit on the back nine with a bogey on the 14th – where his approach from 150 yards sailed into the gallery behind the green – and a two-putt birdie on 5, 15, after clearing the pond with two powerful shots.

Woods entered the weekend with a discouraging deficit and needed a near-record comeback to win the tournament. The biggest rally over 36 holes was made by Jack Burke Jr., who won the Masters tournament in 1956 after eight strokes back.

Even though history is against him, Woods still believes he has a probability to equal Jack Nicklaus’ record of half a dozen titles.

“I’m right there,” Woods said. “I don’t think anyone is going to run and hide right now.”

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