Rory McIlroy's Masters bid in tatters, Brooks Koepka powers clear at Augusta National as weather has its say

Rory McIlroy’s bid to complete the career grand slam will have to wait another year as his Masters challenge imploded on Friday, a day when Brooks Koepka took charge and wild weather brought an early end to play. The Northern Irishman arrived at Augusta in confident mood, but he struggled to find his game on Thursday and it did not improve on Friday. Ad While he drove the ball excellently in the main, his usually impeccable iron play was badly off colour.

MastersTiger toils in opening round of Masters, Rahm, Koepka, Hovland set hot paceYESTERDAY AT 20:06 His wedge play has been much improved in the past 18 months, but he could never get his yardages dialled in — and Augusta took no prisoners. McIlroy signed for a 77 on Friday, to leave him at five-over and almost certain to miss the cut. Should conditions deteriorate as predicted and he somehow made the cut, he would go into the weekend 17 shots adrift of Brooks Koepka who powered to 12-under.

'I don't know how many more I have in me' — Woods 'Unbelievable' — LIV golfers welcomed with open arms Koepka won his latest start in the LIV Golf event in Orlando, and he has always been a force at major championships. After going close to Masters glory in 2019, when an inspired Tiger Woods denied him, Koepka’s career took a backward step as knee injuries took a toll. He made the controversial move to join LIV last year, and there were fears it would impact on his sharpness at the majors.

Judging on his first two days at Augusta, he is razor sharp as he backed up his blistering opening round of 65 with a 67. Koepka went blemish free on Friday, carding an eagle and two birdies. And the worry for the chasing pack is that his putter was pretty cold, as he missed a series of putts