Order is restored
Plenty of potential storylines heading into the weekend
AUGUSTA, GA. — A day after Charley Hoffman fired what’s being called the most impressive first round in recent Masters history, things returned to normal at Augusta National Golf Club.
There’s a leaderboard that even the casual golf fan can get excited about.
There’s the rebel. Sergio Garcia, labeled the best player on the Tour to have never won a major, whose six birdies and three bogeys put him at 4 under.
There’s the villain. Thomas Pieters, best known for shushing the U.S. crowd at the Ryder Cup, who ignited his round with an eagle on13 and birdie on14 to finish 4 under.
There’s the fan favorite: Rickie Fowler, the second-best player on the Tour to have never won a major, whose five birdies and one bogey put him at 4 under.
And there’s the underdog. Hoffman, who shot an outerworldy 65 on Thursday under difficult conditions, and survived a run of five bogeys in six holes to finish at 4 under.
William McGirt is two strokes back. Fred Couples and Justin Rose are among those at 1 under. Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott are even.
It’s going to a fun two days as the weather starts to warm up and the wind subsides.
Hurley hovered on the cut line for much of the back nine, but gave himself breathing room by making birdie at No. 15. He parred No. 16 and 17 and was sitting at plus-5, one shot inside the cut, going into the final hole.
However, No. 18, a par 4 that is nicknamed Holly, got the better of Hurley.
He took a double bogey on the difficult 465-yard hole and that two-shot swing put him over the cut line of plus-6. Pieters and Fowlers will be in the penultimate pairing.
The next 27 holes should shake out the field and it’s likely a name not even under consideration now will find itself near the top. There are 11 players within five shots of the lead, 27 within seven shots.
It’s the last nine holes, though, that will determine the winner.
NOTE: Annapolis resident Billy Hurley III shot a 4-over-par 76 in the second round and missed the cut by one stroke. The Naval Academy graduate was playing in his first Masters, having qualified by winning the Quicken Loans National at Congressional Country Club in June.
Trying to figure out who had the most interesting day is an insult to Augusta National, which can force any golfer into making an Oscar-worthy performance.
But Garcia’s 10th hole might fit. After he birdied four holes on the front nine (1, 2, 3 and 9) mixed in with one bogey, things on the 10th got a bit squirrelly.
He hit a bad tee shot left, as did playing partner Shane Lowry, who promptly hit a provisional. They were both dressed in light-colored pants and a blue sweater. So, when they went near the trees on the left the scorekeeper got things mixed up. Garcia was given the penalty strokes.
“Yeah, I saw it at 13,” Garcia said. “The most important thing is I knew where I stood. I knew I wasn’t 1 under. I knew I was 3.”
Garcia bogeyed the hole as he did the 13th. But he birdied 15 and 17. He had a 6-footer on 18 for an outright share of the lead, but missed it.
“I got a couple nice breaks,” Garcia said. “So things are happening at the moment. So I want to make sure that I keep riding the wave and go out there [today], be positive, be like I’ve been the first two days.”
Pieters made a nice recovery from Thursday where he played the first 10 holes in 5 under and the last eight in 5 over. On Friday, he was a little more consistent. He bogeyed the first hole, his only one of the day.
He picked up birdies on 6 and 9, but it was the 9-footer for eagle on 13 that jumped him on the leaderboard.
Hemadea4-foot putt on14 for a share of the lead.
“I’m a bit tired,” Pieters said. “It’s been a long two days. It’s been pretty slow out there. But I’ve been hitting a lot of good golf shots the last two days, so it’s nice to see my stats, as well.
Pieters has modest goals for the next two days.
“I just like to get within three shots on a Sunday afternoon, three or four shots,” Pieters said. “Then you really give yourself a chance.”
No Belgian-born player has ever won a major.
Fowler would have the lead by himself if he didn’t put the ball in a lateral water hazard on 15. It led to the only bogey of a round that had five birdies.
Hoffman was bound to come back to earth and he did, but not until he sailed through the first five holes, even picking up a stroke or two. Then on the sixth hole the putts he made Thursday he started missing: 17, 5, 2, 7 and 2 feet, all led to bogeys. He was able to par the 9th.
Hoffman righted his round on 13 chipping to 8 inches and making the birdie on the long par 5.
Hoffman and Garcia will be playing in the last group today, and