Robert TheodorsonNow halfway through the 89th Masters we have our weekend field.
Friday morning’s early projection for the cut line was 2-over par before ultimately settling on that same score.
After an intensely competitive second round, 42 golfers were eliminated—including five of the twelve LIV Golf members—who will have to wait again until next year for another chance to compete in this prestigious tournament.
Justin Rose successfully defended his lead going into the weekend while Bryson DeChambeau knocks on the door, ready to take the number one spot.
Rory McIlroy’s 66 propelled him to the T3 position, while Scottie Scheffler only managed par to share the T5 position with several elite golfers including LIV’s Tyrrell Hatton.
The LIV Field: Stats, Results, What to Look for on Saturday
Bryson DeChambeau
- Current Standing: 2nd Place
- Made The Cut: Yes
- Friday Round Score: 68
- Overall Score: -7
- Birdies/Bogeys/Eagles: 5-1-0
What to Watch for Tomorrow: DeChambeau’s Friday was one stroke better than his masterful Thursday. Bryson should go into the weekend as the favourite to win it all.
Sergio Garcia
- Current Standing: T59
- Made The Cut: No
- Friday Round Score: 76
- Overall Score: +4
- Birdies/Bogeys/Eagles: 2-6-0
What to Watch for Tomorrow: Sergio’s 4-over par Friday doomed him to the wrong side of the cut line.
The former Masters Champion just did not have the form he’s shown at recent LIV tournaments.
Tyrrell Hatton
- Current Standing: T5
- Made The Cut: Yes
- Friday Round Score: 70
- Overall Score: -5
- Birdies/Bogeys/Eagles: 6-4-0
What to Watch for Tomorrow: A late missed putt from about two feet out pushed Hatton down the leaderboard by a stroke.
Despite the late mistake, Hatton figures to insert himself into the conversation for eventual champion this weekend.
Other than Bryson, of the remaining LIV field, Hatton and Reed are likely the only duo that can still win the tournament.
Dustin Johnson
- Current Standing: T54
- Made The Cut: No
- Friday Round Score: 73
- Overall Score: +3
- Birdies/Bogeys/Double Bogey: 4-3-1
What to Watch for Tomorrow: DJ put himself back into contention late Friday, getting to even par with back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14 before a late collapse on 17 and 18 sealed his fate.
Brooks Koepka
- Current Standing: T57
- Made The Cut: No
- Friday Round Score: 75
- Overall Score: +5
- Birdies/Bogeys/Eagles/Double Bogey or More: 3-4-1-1
What to Watch for Tomorrow: Brooks responded to Thursday’s fiasco immediately by birdieing the 1st and 4th hole before noon.
The rest of the day the five-time major winner kept around par until disaster struck on the 18th.
The Par 4 18th ended Koepka’s quest for his first green jacket as his eight strokes eliminated his even par and sent him packing.
Phil Mickelson
- Current Standing: T57
- Made The Cut: No
- Friday Round Score: 74
- Overall Score: +5
- Birdies/Bogeys/Double Bogey: 3-3-1
What to Watch for Tomorrow: Phil’s highlight of the day was saving par on the 13th.
Lefty hit his approach shot into the creek but recovered in Phil-like fashion. Mickelson was on his way to make the cut with a score of 1-over par before bogeying the 16th and 18th and scoring an unfortunate double bogey on 15.
Joaquin Niemann
- Current Standing: T40
- Made The Cut: Yes
- Friday Round Score: 74
- Overall Score: +2
- Birdies/Bogeys/Double Bogey: 3-3-1
What to Watch for Tomorrow: Treading water is an appropriate phrase to explain how Niemann’s first two days have gone.
Joaco’s mental lapses over the past two days have likely cost him an honest shot at winning it all.
Jon Rahm
- Current Standing: T40
- Made The Cut: Yes
- Friday Round Score: 71
- Overall Score: +2
- Birdies/Bogeys/Eagles: 1-0-0
What to Watch for Tomorrow: Rahmbo’s 1-under par Friday was good enough to get the 2023 champion into the weekend.
If there’s anyone in the LIV field who can surmount a comeback, it’s Rahm.
Patrick Reed
- Current Standing: T12
- Made The Cut: Yes
- Friday Round Score: 70
- Overall Score: -3
- Birdies/Bogeys/Eagles: 3-3-1
What to Watch for Tomorrow: At 3-under par, Reed has put himself into good position to make an appearance on the leaderboard tomorrow.
The two points he secured with his eagle on the par 5 2nd separate him from the numerous amount of golfers who are 1-under par.
Charl Schwartzel
- Current Standing: T40
- Made The Cut: Yes
- Friday Round Score: 72
- Overall Score: +2
- Birdies/Bogeys/Eagles: 6-6-0
What to Watch for Tomorrow: Six birdies, six bogies. Schwartzel didn’t help his own cause on Friday.
Cam Smith
- Current Standing: T57
- Made The Cut: No
- Friday Round Score: 71
- Overall Score: +3
- Birdies/Bogeys/Double Bogey: 1-3-1
What to Watch for Tomorrow: It was looking like Cam was headed for another Top 10 finish by the end of Thursday, instead Cam dropped forty-six spots and will be heading home.
Bubba Watson
- Current Standing: T22
- Made The Cut: Yes
- Friday Round Score: 72
- Overall Score: -1
- Birdies/Bogeys/Eagles: 3-5-1
What to Watch for Tomorrow: His eagle on the Par 5 8th kept Bubba in contention.
Standing pat at 1-under par, Bubba has made his first Masters cut since 2022.
The next two rounds will require some serious scoring to remain in contention, something we haven’t seen much of from Watson in 2025.
Around Augusta: The Biggest Happenings of Friday Recapped
Goodbye Bernhard: After narrowly missing a lengthy put by millimetres, Bernhard Langer has officially retired from competing in future Masters tournaments. The two-time green jacket winner was serenaded off the course and congratulated by friends all the way back to the clubhouse.
Best Round: Rory McIlroy’s flawless Friday took him from even par to T3. Only Justin Rose’s 65 on Thursday has been better.
Worst Round: Angel Cabrera was the only golfer to finish in the 80’s. Despite this, it was not a terrible two rounds for a man who was recently incarcerated.
Biggest Positive Surprise: Bryson DeChambeau taking sole possession of second place and holding on to it for most of the day despite an early start. Bryson’s scores of 69 and 68 mean the Crusher’s captain is locked in and ready to make a run at winning it all.
Biggest Shocker: Taking eight shots on the Par 4 18th hole knocked Brooks Koepka out of contention. What was looking like an excellent round ended in humiliation.
The Internationals:
Will the Real Cam Smith Please Stand Up: While not considered the favourite, Cam Smith was certainly capable of making a decent run.
Smith tied Brooks Koepka for the worst finishing final score amongst the LIV field. The Ripper captain has also been MIA for most of the LIV season.
Will we ever see The Open Champion and the 2023 LIV season version of Cam again?
Fans Will Be Subjected to Two More Days of Brian Harman Whether They Like it or Not: Brian Harman’s total score of 2-under par has ensured that an extra hour or two of coverage will need to be added for Saturday and Sunday despite the field cut in half.
Wrong Choice: I picked Cameron Young to finish in the Top 10 at the end of Sunday. Despite being a modestly successful golfer at recent Masters, Young finished Friday with a score of 79, putting him near the basement of the standings.
After leading for two days straight, can anyone catch Justin Rose? Is this finally his year?
Who amongst the LIV field other than DeChambeau and Hatton can make a weekend run and pull off the big win?
