Tiger Woods Shoots Even Par Prior to Round 2 Suspension at 2020 Masters

Following the best opening-round score of his career at the Masters on Thursday, Tiger Woods came back to earth in the second round. 

Woods was even par through 10 holes when darkness forced play to be suspended for the day. His overall score remains at four under par. This wasn't a bad day for the defending champion, but he's now five shots behind the leaders after starting the round three shots off the pace. 

"I did everything well,'' Woods told reporters after his 68 on Thursday. "I drove it well, hit my irons well, putted well. The only real bad shot I hit today I think was on [No. 8]. I had a perfect number [68 yards] with a 60-degree sand wedge and hit it on the wrong shelf."

Woods' second round started well with a par and birdie on the first two holes. He came within inches of an eagle on No. 2 with a fantastic save after his second shot landed in a bunker on the right side of the green. 

The third hole is when Woods' putting began to show cracks. He set himself up for another birdie by getting within six feet of the hole on his second shot, but his first attempt saw the ball break too early and the second attempt from about one foot away lipped in and out. 

Woods' path to success at Augusta requires him to be efficient on the greens. That hasn't been the case for him so far this season. He ranks 207th on the PGA Tour in putts per round (29.5). 

One argument against that stat is it comes in a sample size of six rounds, but if you go back to the 2019-20 season when Woods played 23 rounds, he averaged 29 putts per round. 

After three consecutive pars from Nos. 4-6, Woods' short-game struggles once again cost him a shot on the seventh hole. He put himself in a bad spot when his second shot landed in the bunker. The five-time Masters champion got within eight feet of the hole using his wedge, but his par putt broke right before reaching the hole. 

Woods redeemed himself on the eighth hole thanks to being able to get up and down:

That was followed up by consecutive par putts leading into the 11th hole. Woods is tied with four other players for 22nd place with eight holes to play in the second round. 

Woods and the rest of the field that didn't finish their second round will be back on the course at 7:30 a.m. ET. The third round is scheduled at approximately 10:30 a.m.