AUGUSTA – Jon Rahm made a back-nine charge on Saturday morning in pursuit of Brooks Koepka, who had surged to a three-stroke lead in Friday’s storm-halted second round of the US Masters.

Four-time Major winner and LIV Golf rebel Koepka seized command with a sizzling five-under 67 at Augusta National before a storm that uprooted three trees suspended play until Saturday.

The American, 32, torched the par-five holes for an eagle and three birdies in a bogey-free tour. His superb shotmaking followed an opening 65, his lowest Masters round, and left him on 12-under 132 for 36 holes.

“It was really solid. Didn’t really do too much wrong,” he said.

“You’ve got to make birdies on these par fives, take advantage of them, and I did a good job of that.”

After winning last week’s LIV Golf event in Orlando, he could produce the PGA Tour’s nightmare scenario of a victory on one of golf’s greatest stages by a player from the breakaway circuit.

But third-ranked Rahm, the 2021 US Open champion and a three-time PGA Tour winner this season, made a seven-foot birdie putt at the par-five eighth and a 12-footer for birdie at the ninth before he was halted on the 10th green.

The Spaniard, 28, was among 39 players still on the course when three trees were toppled by gusty winds near the 17th tee and officials stopped play. Augusta National said there were no injuries.

Rahm finished his second round with three birdies and two bogeys and signed for a 69 that left him on 134, two back of Koepka.

Koepka, the 2017 and 2018 US Open champion and 2018 and 2019 PGA Championship winner, finished well before Friday’s storm.

“The biggest advantage I had was my tee time,” he said.

US Amateur champion Sam Bennett fired a 68 to stand third on 136. The 23-year-old Texan could be the first amateur in a Masters last pairing in 65 years and was confident he can defeat Koepka.

“I know that my golf is good enough,” the Texas A&M fifth-year student said.

Two-time Major winner Collin Morikawa (69) was fourth on 138 alongside Norway’s ninth-rated Viktor Hovland (73). Australia’s former world No. 1 Jason Day (72) and Americans Sam Burns (71) and Jordan Spieth (70), a three-time Major winner, were on 139.

“The benefit we have, those of us chasing, is that it’s going to be incredibly difficult conditions,” Spieth said. “It means a few under goes a long way.”

Koepka birdied the par-five second to grab the solo lead, then curled in a tricky 10-foot par putt at the third.

He eagled the par-five eighth to become the fastest Masters player to 10 under since Spieth on his way to a 2015 victory, then birdied Nos. 13 and 15 also.

“It was a clinic for 36 holes,” said Koepka’s playing partner Gary Woodland. “It was impressive.”

Koepka is among 18 qualifiers from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League at Augusta National, where talk of the PGA-LIV split has been set aside by players so they can focus on winning the green jacket.

“I don’t know if this is the place for healing those wounds,” two-time Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal said.

The PGA Tour banned players who jumped to the upstart series for record US$25 million (S$33.3 million) purses and 54-hole events and a court fight is set for early 2024, but LIV players can compete in Majors.

“If you win one here, it kind of ticks a lot of boxes, doesn’t it?” Koepka said.

The nearest LIV player to Koepka’s score was 52-year-old six-time Major winner Phil Mickelson (69), who trailed the leader by eight strokes. For the embattled league, that gap is almost beside the point.

Koepka’s surge at Augusta is perhaps the circuit’s most welcome reprieve after months of setbacks, including legal defeats, a miserly television contract in the United States and, according to a court filing from LIV, revenues of “virtually zero”.

Top-ranked defending champion Scottie Scheffler struggled to a 75 to be on 143. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy, who needs a Masters victory to complete a career Grand Slam, fired a 77 to stand on 149, missing the weekend cut.

Tiger Woods, a 15-time Major winner and five-time Masters champion, also returned early on Saturday morning to finish his round. He bogeyed his last two holes and signed for a 73, making the three-over cut with nothing to spare. AFP, NYTIMES