Defending champ leads parade exiting Masters early

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Defending champion Danny Willett's morning got off to an appropriately chilly start.

The Englishman made a snowman at the first hole, never quite recovered from that quadruple-bogey en route to a 78 on Friday and wound up leading a cast of dozens headed for the exits at Augusta National after failing to make the cut. At least Willett will be back on Sunday to put the green jacket on the new champion.

Two days of cool, windwhipped conditions tested the golfers' patience and left plenty shaking their heads on the way out.

"Three-putt on the first hole doesn't help and then misjudged the wind with clubs at least three times," said twotime champion Bubba Watson, who finished 8 over. "Could have been four. I remember three in my head."

Watson had plenty of company. In fact, the parade of former champions and other luminaries who posted scores of 151 or worse and will be skipping the weekend was almost large enough to fill out a consolation bracket.

"We've had two fabulous years and when you have a bit of a downturn, it feels like the world is coming to end," said Willett, who became the first reigning champ to depart early since Mike Weir in 2004.

Considering his poor form over the past year, Willett wasn't even the biggest surprise. That dubious honor belongs to Watson, who had made the cut in all eight of his previous Masters appearances.

There was no shortage of other former winners who won't be making use of their green jackets come Sunday.

They include Angel Cabrera (2009), Trevor Immelman (2008), Zach Johnson (2007), Vijay Singh (2000), Jose Maria Olazabal (1999, 1994) Mark O'Meara (1998) Bernhard Langer (1993, 1985), Ian Woosnam (1991) and Sandy Lyle (1988).

On the plus side, three 50-something players will be hanging around, including past champions Fred Couples (1992) and Larry Mize (1987), as well as Steve Stricker. They'll be joined by two young amateurs, Curtis Luck and Stewart Hagestad.