In a surprising turn of events at the 2023 Masters, four-time major champion Brooks Koepka has taken the lead in the tournament as golf legend Tiger Woods drops out due to injury.
Koepka, who has been in solid form this season, has played some exceptional golf over the first two rounds at Augusta National, carding rounds of 67 and 66 to sit at 9-under par. He holds a two-shot lead over Englishman Tyrrell Hatton and three shots over a group of players that includes former Masters champions Jordan Spieth and Bubba Watson.
However, the biggest news of the day came when Tiger Woods withdrew from the tournament before the start of the second round due to a back injury. Woods, a five-time Masters champion, had been hoping to make a strong comeback at this year’s event after struggling with injuries in recent years. But unfortunately, his body couldn’t hold up, and he was forced to withdraw.
The news of Woods’ withdrawal sent shockwaves through the golf world, with many fans and fellow players expressing their disappointment at the news. Woods had been one of the biggest storylines heading into the tournament, and his presence at Augusta National always adds to the excitement and drama of the event.
With Woods out of the picture, Koepka’s path to victory at the Masters looks a little clearer. The 32-year-old has shown in the past that he has what it takes to win major championships, having claimed four of them already in his career. He has also been in excellent form in recent weeks, finishing in the top five at both the Players Championship and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
However, there is still a long way to go in this tournament, and there are plenty of other players who will be looking to make a charge over the weekend. Spieth, in particular, has looked sharp over the first two rounds, carding rounds of 68 and 68 to sit at 6-under par. The 2015 Masters champion has struggled with his form in recent years but seems to have rediscovered his touch at Augusta National.
Other players to watch out for over the weekend include reigning US Open champion Jon Rahm, who is currently at 4-under par, and 2022 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, who is at 3-under par.
As always, the Masters promises to be an exciting and unpredictable tournament, and with Tiger Woods out of the picture, a new champion will be crowned on Sunday. Will it be Brooks Koepka, who has been in such excellent form over the first two rounds, or will someone else step up and claim the green jacket? Golf fans around the world will be tuning in over the weekend to find out.
