The second round of The Masters 2026 began at Augusta National with early signs that scoring could be difficult again. Scott Clark was the only player out on the course in the morning who was under par for his round at that stage, a small sample that still pointed to another demanding day at Augusta.
That impression was reinforced by the opening stretch from several players who had started poorly. Tom McKibbin, making his Masters debut, was in trouble early after a difficult first round on Thursday. The 23-year-old from Belfast opened with 75 and then made a further slow start on Friday, carding three bogeys and a double bogey in his first five holes. That left him at eight over par and sliding down the leaderboard.
LIV players under pressure
McKibbin was not the only LIV Tour player finding Augusta National difficult. None of the circuit’s ten representatives managed to break par in the opening round. Two of the most prominent names, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, also had disappointing starts, shooting 76 and 78 respectively. Those results put both players on the back foot and left them with a lot of work to do if they were to get back into contention.
The early numbers suggested the course was again posing problems across the field. Augusta has a long history of rewarding patience and punishing mistakes, and the first part of Friday’s play appeared to be following that pattern. Even players who arrived in form were finding that birdie chances were hard to come by.
Wyndham Clark finds momentum
There was, however, one notable bright spot. Wyndham Clark, the 2023 US Open champion, put together three birdies in a row to make a strong move early in his round. On the par-three 4th, he hit his tee shot to eight feet and converted the putt to continue his run of birdies.
Clark’s form in major championships has generally been trending upward. The 32-year-old from Denver tied for fourth at last year’s Open, showing he can contend on the biggest stages. Augusta National, though, has not always been a comfortable venue for him. He has one missed cut at the Masters and a tie for 46th as his best previous result here, so the early burst offered a chance to improve on that record.
For now, though, the main story was the challenge posed by the golf course itself. With so many players already struggling and only a handful finding momentum, the second round appeared set to become another test of patience, precision, and damage limitation. The opening holes gave little sign that Augusta National was prepared to yield easy scoring.
As the day unfolded, the leaderboard remained fluid, but the early evidence pointed in one clear direction: low scores were likely to remain a premium. Players who could avoid mistakes and take advantage when chances arrived stood the best chance of moving up the standings.
More to follow as the second round continues at Augusta National.
