Golf-Masters off to early start as stormy weather threatens

Masters second round play got underway at Augusta National on Friday with nasty weather set to challenge a leaderboard featuring hot favourites Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler and a few intriguing surprises.

Start times were pushed ahead by 30 minutes with Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal and American Cameron Champ first off at 7:30 a.m. ET (1130 GMT) in an effort to get as much play in as possible before forecasted thunderstorms sweep into Augusta. Spanish world number three Rahm, one of the betting favourites to win the Green Jacket, Norway's Viktor Hovland and LIV Golf hope Brooks Koepka shared a two-shot overnight lead after carding opening round seven-under 65s on Thursday in ideal conditions.

But scoring will be far more difficult on Friday, particularly for late starters like Rahm, who is in the second to last group out with Justin Thomas and Cameron Young at 1:18 p.m. Et (1518 GMT). While Rahm, winner of three events already this season, was always expected to contend at the year's first major, Koepka was not.

The four-time major champion emerged from the LIV Golf 18-member contingent to plant the rebel circuit's flag atop the leaderboard. Lurking two shots back on five-under are resurgent Australian Jason Day and American Cameron Young.

One further adrift, three off the pace, are the odd couple of world number one and defending champion Scottie Scheffler and amateur Sam Bennett. Also in the pack at four-under are 2019 U.S. Open winner Gary Woodland, 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry, and Adam Scott, who won Australia's first Green Jacket 10 years ago.

Tiger Woods, who has never missed the Masters cut as a professional, will likely need to improve on his opening round two-over 74 if he is to keep his streak alive. Even in Thursday's superb conditions, Woods slumped to his worst opening round since 2005 and with the rain and cold sure to put his surgically repaired leg to an even bigger test, he will need to find some of the Augusta magic that earned him five Green Jackets.