Masters second round suspended after weather, fallen trees at Augusta National
The 2023 Masters was put on pause on Friday.
Augusta National announced at 5:45 p.m. Friday that play had been suspended for the day due to inclement weather and after three trees fell near patrons to the left of the 17th tee box.
The club confirmed that there were no injuries sustained when the trees fell.
Augusta National’s news release included: “The safety and well-being of everyone attending the Masters Tournament will always be the top priority of the Club. We will continue to closely monitor weather today and through the Tournament.”
The Masters was put under a second weather delay of the day at 4:22 p.m. Friday. A previous 21-minute stoppage was called just after 3 p.m.
The first delay — called at 3:07 p.m. — lasted just 21 minutes and was the shortest in Masters history.
Brooks Koepka was atop the leaderboard and in the clubhouse at 12-under when play was paused. Koepka backed up his opening-round 65 with a 5-under 67 on Friday morning.
Texas A&M senior Sam Bennett sat alone in second behind Koepka at 8-under among those players who’ve completed their rounds. Bennett fired his second 4-under 68 of the week, putting him in position for the best-ever result by an amateur in Masters history.
Jon Rahm sat at 9-under through the first nine holes of his second round when air horns blew on the course Friday afternoon.
Uncertain weather has been in the forecast for this part of the week. There’s still a 100% chance of rain Saturday, with Sunday’s forecast improving and just calling for a 30% chance of precipitation.
Forecast
According to National Weather Service
- Friday: 80% chance of rain.
- Saturday: High near 51. Chance of precipitation 100%.
- Sunday: 30% chance of rain between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. High near 61.
This story was originally published April 7, 2023 at 3:15 PM.
