As the sun rose on the second day of the Masters golf tournament, all eyes were on Tiger Woods, who was looking to make a comeback after a long injury layoff. However, by the end of the day, it was Brooks Koepka who had stolen the show, dominating the leaderboard and leaving Woods struggling to keep up.
Koepka, who had been sidelined by injury himself for much of the past year, showed no signs of rust as he posted a blistering 7-under-par 65 to take a four-stroke lead over the rest of the field. His performance was marked by a string of birdies and an eagle, as he put on a clinic of long drives and pinpoint accuracy on the greens.
Woods, on the other hand, struggled to find his rhythm and finished the day at even par, leaving him tied for 27th place, nine strokes behind Koepka. While the 15-time major champion showed flashes of his old brilliance, he was unable to string together the kind of consistent round he needed to stay in contention.
Koepka’s dominant performance was not entirely unexpected, given his impressive record at major championships. The four-time major winner had missed much of the past year due to a knee injury, but had shown signs of his old form in recent weeks, finishing second at the WGC-Workday Championship and tying for second at the Honda Classic.
As Koepka spoke to reporters after his round, he downplayed his lead and stressed the importance of staying focused in a tournament where anything can happen. “It’s just one round,” he said. “You’ve got to stay patient, keep doing what you’re doing, and hopefully good things will happen.”
While Koepka’s performance was undoubtedly the story of the day, there were other players who also made their mark. Jordan Spieth, who has struggled in recent years, posted a solid 4-under-par 68 to finish tied for second with Phil Mickelson, who at 50 years old continues to defy the odds and play at a high level.
But it was Koepka who stole the headlines, with many analysts hailing his performance as one of the best rounds in recent Masters history. If he can maintain his form over the next three days, he will be in a strong position to add a fifth major title to his impressive resume.
As for Woods, his hopes of a comeback win have taken a major hit, but he is a fighter and will not give up easily. He will need to produce some spectacular golf over the next three days if he hopes to make a serious challenge for the green jacket.
