AUGUSTA (Georgia), April 13: There were thousands of people at the Augusta National Golf Club on Friday but an in-form Nick Faldo spent the day playing the second round of the US Masters without any partners.

The three-time Masters champion (1989, 1990 and 1996) found himself with no one to talk to except caddy Fanny Sunesson when the other two members of his threesome, Hal Sutton and Frank Lickliter, both withdrew through injury.

Sutton, the 1983 PGA champion, ruled himself out just before the start of Thursday’s opening round with a pulled muscle on his right side while Lickliter withdrew because of an injured hand before teeing off in the second round.

Playing alone appeared to agree with the Englishman, Faldo carding six birdies to leave him at five-under through 16 holes before torrential rain forced the postponement of play for the day.—Reuters