Rahm closes gap on Koepka as Woods make cut at Masters

Rory McIlroy misses out amid rough weather at Augusta

Jon Rahm of Spain at the 15th tee in the second round of The Masters at Augusta on Saturday, April 8, 2023. EPA

Spain's Jon Rahm returned to a wet and windy Augusta National on Saturday and narrowed overnight leader Brooks Koepka's advantage to two strokes at The Masters.

Rahm, one of the 39 players who had to complete their delayed second rounds on Saturday, had been within a shot of Koepka before bogeying the final hole.

Five-times Masters winner Tiger Woods managed to battle through the conditions to make the cut at three-over par 147 after shooting 73 but Rory McIlroy was among the big names to miss out on the final two rounds.

Woods, walking the hilly course on his rebuilt leg, bogeyed the closing hole and finished right on the three-over-par cut line, tying Gary Player and Fred Couples for most consecutive cuts made at The Masters (23).

"I've always loved this golf course, and I love playing this event," Woods said. "Obviously I've missed a couple with some injuries, but I've always wanted to play here. I've loved it. I got a chance to play on the weekend."

Spaniard Rahm had an eventful session back on course, making birdies on the par-3 12th and par-5 15th before, in driving rain, he bogeyed by three-putting the par-3 16th.

But the world number three quickly made amends on the par-4 17th, where he rolled in a six-foot putt from the fringe for birdie.

Earlier, Louis Oosthuizen withdrew from the Masters due to injury before completing his second round.

The 40-year-old South African was sevebn over with one hole remaining and would not have made the cut at Augusta National Golf Club.

Oosthuizen, who lost to Bubba Watson in a playoff at the 2012 Masters, birdied two of his last three holes before pulling out with an undisclosed injury.

Oosthuizen won his only major title at The Open Championship at St. Andrew's in 2010. He defected to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour in June 2022 and serves as the captain of Stinger GC.

McIlroy shot a five over-par 77 with seven bogeys on Friday, leaving him 17 strokes behind pace-setter Koepka and condemned to his second missed Masters cut in three years.

Sandy Lyle, the first British player to win the Masters in 1988, had been forced to leave the course on Friday whilst on the 18th green in his last Masters.

The Scotsman returned to putt out his round in 83 after his opening round 81 and received an emotional farewell from spectators who had flocked to the green.