Bryson DeChambeau in danger of missing Masters cut after a nightmare second round at Augusta
BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU got his nose bloodied as Augusta showed it was not going to roll over for the golfing bully boy.
A lost ball and a triple bogey seven at the third hole – a 350 yard par four DeChambeau said was like a par three for him – means the pre-tournament favourite is struggling just to make the cut at the Masters.
The game’s biggest hitter was expected to batter Augusta into submission, just as he did with Winged Foot last month when he won the US Open by six shots.
DeChambeau scrambled a two under par 70 in the opening round thanks to a birdie-birdie finish, and probably expected to start closing on the leaders after he picked up another shot at the long second hole.
It has not turned out like that. His 3 wood flew way left at the third, and with no fans to pinpoint where it landed after it nestled down in the rough the world No 6 had to declare it lost.
His next effort was almost as bad, and after he airmailed the green with his fourth shot it looked as if his mind was completely scrambled.
DeChambeau bogeyed the next two holes, and at two over par he was a couple of shots outside the cut line, although he managed to get one back before play was halted in near-darkness as he played the 13th.
Dustin Johnson shot a two-under 70 for a share of the lead with Justin Thomas, Abraham Ancer and Cameron Smith at nine under par.
Patrick Cantlay and Sungjae Im were a stroke back.
Spain's Jon Rahm was also one shot off the lead and facing a short birdie putt on the 13th when play was suspended in the fading light, a legacy of the lengthy weather delay on Thursday morning.
Johnson had threatened to put significant distance between himself and the chasing pack when he made light of Amen Corner with birdies on the 11th, 12th and 13th to briefly enjoy a three-shot lead.
However, the world number one then three-putted the 14th and dropped another shot on the 15th after finding the water with his approach before missing good birdie chances on the next two holes.
Tiger Woods could not improve on his position at four under par in the ten holes he played, while joint first round leader Paul Casey gave a shot back after playing eleven.
Those fortysomethings should be inspired by the efforts of 63-year-old Bernhard Langer.
He helped create a piece of Major championship history, as rounds of 68 and 73 saw him complete the first 36 holes in three under par.
That first round effort from the 63 year old German star meant two players aged over sixty had broken par in the same round for the first time in ANY Major.
Larry Mize, 62, formed the other part of the historic duo, after reviving memories of his 1987 victory by shooting a two under par 70 on day one.
