HENRIK STENSON

Two editions in its return to the Olympic program, golf is building momentum.

The hardest part of Sergio Garcia's day was before he even got to Royal St. George's.

Louis Oosthuizen and Sergio Garcia are among Olympic qualifiers who aren't going to Tokyo next month.

Anyone hopeful of a Bryson DeChambeau-Brooks Koepka pairing at the U.S. Open will have to wait.

Garcia thought he had plenty of time to get from the range to the 10th tee to start his round. Then he fired off a 7-under 65, capped off by a birdie-birdie-eagle finish for a two-shot lead over Brian Harman. AdWhen darkness brought the first round to a halt — 21 players didn't finish — there already were 13 scores of 80 or higher. “For some reason, it just kind of fits my eye,” said Garcia, who won The Players in 2008 and has twice been runner-up. British Open champion Shane Lowry took bogey on his final hole for a 68 and was tied with Corey Conners and Matt Fitzpatrick.

FILE - In this Friday, Oct. 2, 2020, file photo, golfers play golf at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. PGA President Jim Richerson says the board voted to exercise its right to “terminate the agreement” with Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey. “As an organization we have invested many, many millions of dollars in the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster. That was the same year the USGA staged the U.S. Women’s Open at Trump National in Bedminster. Now it’s about finding a place to play the PGA Championship, which dates to 1916, for next year.

Tiger Woods remains in the mix with one birdie and seven pars to complete a 71, leaving him four shots behind. As the sun broke through the clouds when the second round ended, it revealed a Masters that even without spectators was shaping up to be as exciting as always. Rahm joined the lead pack at 9-under 135 with a wedge to 5 feet for birdie on the par-5 13th to resume his second round, but the next par 5 meant just as much. The cut was at even-par 144, a Masters record and a reflection of how rain has affected this Masters in November. That included Woods, who won his fifth green jacket last year by coming from behind for the first time in a major.

His only bogey came on the ninth hole when his drive landed in a divot and he missed the green to the left. Walker wasn't feeling his best and wasn't sure what to expect, especially after missing two short birdie putts to start his round. “I’ve always had stuff with my left shoulder, but I just picked up some tendonitis at the U.S. Open,” Walker said. After two short misses, Walker realized he needed to move the ball up slightly in his stance. Henrik Stenson, playing in Mississippi for the first time in 10 years had a 70.