AUGUSTA, GA. — Nobody is resistant to humiliation at Augusta National.
Not past Masters champions.
Not former No. 1-ranked players.
Nobody.
On the second day of the 88th Masters, there was carnage because of blustery, swirling, gusty and tricky winds.
The result was a rash of stunning scores posted by a few of the perfect on the earth, lots of whom missed the 36-hole cut.
The three men standing tallest, though hardly not battered and bruised themselves, were world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, first-round leader Bryson DeChambeau and Max Homa, all of whom are 6-under entering the weekend.
The scoring average of 75.08 was the very best for the second round of the Masters since 2007, and it was only the fourth time within the last 30 years that it was higher than 75.
Brian Harman, the reigning British Open champion, shot a 47 on the back nine of his first round, which he accomplished on Friday due to weather delay and darkness suspension Thursday.
He closed the round with three consecutive 6s — going 7-over on those final three holes — and finished with an 81, missing the cut by a rustic mile.
Wyndham Clark, the reigning U.S. Open champion who got here into the week in stellar form, went home early identical to Harman after shooting 7-over for his two rounds.
Jordan Spieth, the 2015 Masters champion, watched his 2024 Masters circle the drain on his opening-round back nine Friday morning.
Spieth shot 79 in a round that was lowlighted by a quadruple-bogey 9 on the par-5 fifteenth hole.
Dustin Johnson, the 2020 November COVID-19 Masters champion who now plays on LIV Golf, was never in contention — to win again or make the cut.
He carded a 6-over 78 in his first round and it got no higher in his second round, wherein he posted a 79 to complete 13-over.
Bubba Watson, a two-time winner of the green jacket, finished 10-over because of an 8-over 80 in his second round.
Charl Schwartzel, one other past champion, was never an element as he finished 11-over.
Former Masters winners Sergio Garcia and Zach Johnson, essentially the most recent U.S. Ryder Cup captain, each finished 7-over and missed the cut.
Johnson was so frustrated after a triple-bogey on the twelfth hole, he was heard telling a spectator to “f–k off.’’
Yes, it was that type of day at Augusta.
Harrowing for some.
Survival for others.
“That was about as completely happy as you may be to be off of a golf course,’’ Homa said after his second round. “That was so hard. We got the sand shower to finish our day. So, it was type of even the golf course saying, ‘Get the hell out of here.’ It was hard. Just being out within the wind for that long just got old.
“Even here, even at a spot as amazing as this, you continue to … I used to be picturing my couch and the TV. Yeah, just desired to be done. Just be inside. That’s all we were rooting for.’’
Now, Homa, who was paired with Tiger Woods for the primary two rounds, might be rooting for something else: Winning his first major championship.
“The memory from today for me … will just be lots of the Tiger stuff,’’ Homa said. “But I hope to construct my very own come this weekend.’’
Homa, some of the positive souls you’ll ever meet, insisted he won’t succumb to the weekend major championship pressure.
“Yeah, it should be different tomorrow than at a [regular PGA] Tour event,’’ he said. “But I don’t know when you guys have seen ‘Hoosiers,’ but the opening size is identical for 18 of them, and I’m just going to attempt to do my best.’’
DeChambeau went from shooting a 7-under 65 in the primary round Tuesday to hanging on for dear life on Friday in a 1-over 73.
“I’ve never experienced Augusta National in these conditions before,’’ he said.
In his next breath, DeChambeau was looking forward to the weekend, saying, “I’m very excited. I get a possibility to point out my skill set, and hopefully it’s ok to do something special this weekend. I feel just like the game is in a terrific spot. Mindset is in a solid place. I feel like the whole lot is lining up pretty much.’’
DeChambeau said he’s “extremely’’ excited for the prospect to go head-to-head with the likes of Scheffler, who’s the unquestioned best player on the earth in the intervening time.
The 2 don’t get the prospect to battle because DeChambeau is playing LIV Golf and Scheffler’s on the PGA Tour.
“He’s obviously the perfect player on the earth, and it’s going to be lots of fun competing and seeing what he can do in comparison with what the remainder of the sector can do, what I can do,’’ DeChambeau said. “I’m looking forward to it, I actually am.”
The one thing not one of the players playing this weekend might be looking forward to is more wind.
Their wishes should come true for the reason that wind is forecast to subside Saturday and Sunday.