Brooks Koepka still the man to catch after Masters second round concludes

Brooks Koepka will take a two stroke lead into the third round of the 2023 Masters Tournament after the second round was completed on Saturday morning.

American Koepka began Friday tied alongside Spaniard Jon Rahm and Norway's Viktor Hovland on seven under par but took full advantage of ideal morning conditions, firing a flawless 67 to reach 12 under.

The late starters were unable to finish their second rounds as play was suspended twice in the afternoon, with no further play possible after 16.22 local time.

Rahm was Koepka's nearest challenger on nine under after making two birdies in his first nine holes before the hooter sounded for the second time. Returning on Saturday morning, Rahm played the second nine in one under par to post a score of ten under, two behind Koepka.

U.S. Amateur Champion Sam Bennett was in the clubhouse on eight under after signing for a second successive 68.

Collin Morikawa was two shots further back after his second-round 69, while Hovland was on the same mark with eight holes still to play.

Four-time Major Champion Koepka quickly moved into the outright lead with a birdie on the second hole before making an eagle from 13 feet at the eighth.

Further birdies followed on the par-five 13th and 15th before three closing pars kept his card clean.

He said: "It was really solid. Didn't really do too much wrong. 

"Maybe the speed kind of got me on a few putts. Wasn't hitting them hard enough there towards the end, but striking the ball really well and leaving it in good spots.

"And that's what you've got to do. You've got to make birdies on these par fives, take advantage of them. 

"And did a good job of that, playing them five-under."

Afternoon starter Rahm began his second round with seven straight pars before opening his birdie account for the day at the eighth from four feet.

And he followed that up with a 12-foot birdie on the ninth to get within three shots of Koepka's lead before play was halted.

When he returned to Augusta National to finish his round, he moved within one stroke after his third birdie of the morning, on the 17th hole, recovering from a bogey on the 16th. But a bogey on the last sees him two strokes behind with the third round set to begin at lunchtime.