A three-way tie at the top at the wind-blown Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The predominant participant here Friday didn’t take a swing or even wear spikes. It was the U.S. Weather Service, which issued a high wind advisory for the region, and the entire field during the Masters’ second round spent the day in continual genuflection.

The third round will open in a three-way tie between Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler and Max Homa at 6-under par, the trio having treated the lead like a wet bar of soap much of the day. Credit was earned for holding the line under trying conditions; they were a combined even-par on a day that could have left any of them gone with the wind.

Brisk swirling winds, gusting up to 25 mph, blew over chairs, knocked off hats and made a fantasy of holding golf. Bunkers played like something out of “Lawrence of Arabia.” Even short putts were blown off-line.

Said Irishman Shane Lowry after a hard-earned 74, “You can be made to look like an idiot out there today by not doing too much wrong.”

But a great day to own a kite. In all, just eight players broke par, low round going to Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg with a 69 in his first appearance in a major championship, good enough for seventh place. Only 14 players of a field of 89 were in the red at the halfway mark.

The leaderboard’s biggest mystery guest is Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard, a Masters rookie who went 67-73-140 and, at 4-under, is the closest contender behind the three leaders. One shot back are Australian Cameron Davis, in his second Masters appearance, and Collin Morikawa, who played two sub-par rounds (71-70).

Relief arrives today with calming conditions throughout the weekend, though Augusta National is expected to play firmer with drier conditions. No bargain there either.

“I think major championship golf has a tendency to just be very mentally grinding,” Scheffler said. “And days like today I think are the extreme of that.”

The cut came at 6-over 150, the highest number in seven years. Tiger Woods broke the Masters record with 24 consecutive cuts made, his hard-fought 72 leaving him at 1-over and seven shots off the lead. Ex-champions Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh (4-over) made it to the weekend as did defending champion Jon Rahm (5-over)

Missing the cut was Viktor Hovland, the world’s No. 6-ranked player, who shot 81 to fall to 9-over. Other former champs eliminated included Zach Johnson, Mike Weir and Sergio Garcia (7-over), Jordan Spieth (9-over), Bubba Watson (10-over) and Charl Schwartzel (11-over), Fred Couples (12-over) and Dustin Johnson (13-over)

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