The Masters: Global No. 1 Dustin Johnson Stocks Lead With Newcomer Im Sung-jae | Golfing Information

Best-ranked Dustin Johnson birdied his manner thru Amen Nook and clung to a percentage of the lead with South Korea’s Im Sung-jae in Friday’s 2nd around of the 84th Masters. Johnson, the 2016 US Open winner, began on Augusta Nationwide’s again 9 and made the activate 8-under, degree for the lead with Im, a 22-year-old seeking to change into the primary debut Masters winner since 1979. 3rd-ranked Justin Thomas, who additionally began on the 10th gap, closed his first 9 with 4 consecutive birdies however fell from a percentage of the lead with a double-bogey on the first. Johnson’s 3 birdies at the famed three-hole stretch beginning at 11 integrated an eight-foot putt on the par-3 12th and a four-footer on the par-5 13th to succeed in 10-under for a four-stroke edge.

However he adopted with a three-putt bogey at 14 and despatched his method into the water to bogey the par-5 15th then parred his solution to the flip.

Previous, Johnson sank a five-foot birdie putt on the 18th to finish an opening-round 65 to percentage the 18-hole lead after storms compelled a Friday-morning end.

Following his lowest profession Masters around and primary and not using a bogey, Johnson was once briefly again at the route for around two.

“To proceed to play is for sure a pleasing benefit,” Johnson mentioned. “I am on a excellent roll.”

Johnson may change into the primary international primary to win the Masters since Tiger Woods in 2002.

Johnson was once a runner-up in 3 of the previous six majors, together with a best-ever Masters effort remaining 12 months.

The lanky 36-year-old American, who grew up simplest an hour’s pressure from Augusta, neglected two deliberate Masters tuneups after trying out sure for Covid-19 remaining month however was once a runner-up remaining week in Houston in his excursion go back.

– McIlroy fightback –

Because the PGA Excursion’s Covid-19 smash, Johnson received at Hartford, was once 2nd on the PGA Championship, received the Excursion Championship and shared 6th at the USA Open.

Thomas, the 2017 PGA Championship winner, rolled in birdie putts from 4 to 8 ft to in brief sign up for the leaders, however went left off the primary tee, hit a tree and went over the fairway on his method in a Friday the 13th nightmare.

Thomas completed a morning 68, having by no means shot higher than a 73 in 4 prior Masters opening rounds.

Im birdied 12 and 13 and replied a bogey at 14 with a birdie at 15 to stick degree with Johnson.

5th-ranked Rory McIlroy, in search of a inexperienced jacket to finish a profession Grand Slam, birdied 4 of his first 8 holes in the second one around to restore his hope of a Masters victory.

After stumbling to a gap 75 to percentage 77th, the four-time primary winner began off the 10th with a birdie, curled in a 10-footer to birdie the par-3 12th, sank an eight-foot putt to birdie the par-5 15th and made a 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th to succeed in 1-under, the projected minimize.

Rain-softened Augusta Nationwide surrendered the bottom opening-round scoring moderate in Masters historical past, 71.43 strokes.

There have been a 53 avid gamers below par in around one and 24 rankings within the 60s, each data for any around in Masters historical past. The outdated mark for sub-par avid gamers was once 47 in around two in 1992.

Protecting champion Woods awaited a past due tee time after opening on 68, the 15-time primary winner and five-time Masters champion matching his best-ever Augusta Nationwide get started.

It was once his first bogey-free Masters around since 2008 and in any primary since 2009.

Promoted

Germany’s 63-year-old Bernhard Langer, a two-time Masters champion, opened on 68. With 62-year-old 1987 Masters winner Larry Mize opening on 70, it was once the primary around in primary golfing historical past the place two avid gamers over 60 broke par.

The Masters was once postponed from its same old April date by way of the Covid-19 pandemic, which additionally compelled a ban on spectators as a security precaution.