AUGUSTA, Ga. — Tiger Woods will rise Saturday morning as the main event at the Masters, not exactly a new storyline.
But this time around, he will not be chasing Augusta National history in the form of a sixth green jacket, which would match Jack Nicklaus’ record.
At 2-over for the tournament, 14 strokes behind leader Brooks Koepka, Woods will play the final eight holes of the weather-suspended second round with a chance to make the Masters cut for a 23rd consecutive time, which would tie the record shared by Fred Couples and Gary Player.
Woods was right on the projected cut line when club officials called it a day Friday evening after storms had caused two suspensions and sent multiple tall pine trees crashing down to earth.
Advancing to the final two rounds would be a considerable achievement for Woods, who sustained horrific injuries to his right leg in his 2021 rollover car crash.
Asked after his opening round of 74 if the pain in his leg is inconsistent or constant, Woods responded: “It’s constant.”
The weather forecast for Saturday didn’t look promising, leaving open the possibility for a 27-hole or 36-hole Sunday.
That wouldn’t be good news for Woods, according to his longtime caddie, Joe LaCava.
“My biggest fear going in — not to get ahead of ourselves — is we get a lot of rain and thunderstorms,” LaCava told The Post before the start of the tournament. “Now we get the stop and start, or we go the extra holes one day. I can’t imagine him trying to go 27-plus holes [in one day] around here, but again, let’s get to that when we get to it. But it’s a factor.”
LIV Golf could score a stunning victory over the PGA Tour if Brooks Koepka holds on to his lead and wins his fifth major title, but if Koepka falters, there is some help within reasonable striking distance.
The closest LIV players on the leaderboard are 52-year-old Phil Mickelson, the three-time Masters champ who has played dreadfully on the Saudi-backed circuit, along with one-time Masters champ Patrick Reed and Joaquin Niemann.
At 4-under, all are eight shots off Koepka’s pace.
Cameron Smith, the 2022 British Open winner, stands at 2-under.
When play was suspended Friday, 10 of the 17 LIV players remaining in the field after Kevin Na’s withdrawal were in position to make the cut.
Sandy Lyle, the 65-year-old Scotsman, made it to the weekend in his 42nd and final Masters, but not the way he had hoped.
The 1988 Masters champ was 19-over for the tournament and preparing to putt out on the 18th green and head off into retirement when a storm rolled in and the horn blew to suspend the second round.
Play never resumed Friday evening, forcing Lyle to roll in his final putt on Saturday — assuming the weather doesn’t wash out the tournament until Sunday.
Lyle started his final Masters on Thursday by sailing his first drive into the trees, snapping his club on a second shot he attempted left-handed and hitting a cameraman with his ball.
Lyle made a bogey 5, and the fun was just beginning.