FOUR TIED FOR THE LEAD AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Much of the talk leading up to this year’s Masters surrounded the swing-for-the-fences crowd, the young guys with their explosive drivers who threatened to hammer Augusta National into submission.
Overlooked were the old guys.
But two days into the tournament, some of the most experienced players are hanging tough.
“It actually makes me feel older when I play with these young guys and I see how far they hit it and how short I hit it,” said twotime Masters champion Bernhard Langer, who finished his first round Friday morning with a 68 and followed that with a 73 in the afternoon.
At 63, he will be the oldest player to make the cut at Augusta National — a cut that won’t take place until the suspended second round is completed Saturday morning. Averaging 263.5 yards per drive, he is longer than only three players in the field.
On a day when four players shared the lead at nine under par — Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Abraham Ancer and Cameron Smith — three-time champion Phil Mickelson shot a 70 to linger in the mix at five under.
“I’m hitting the ball great, and I’m putting awful,” said Mickelson, 50. “I’ve been putting well this year, and if I get this fixed for the weekend, I’m going to make a run.”
Defending champion Tiger Woods, 44, who won his fifth green jacket last year and became the second-oldest player to do so, got through 10 holes at even par Friday and is at four under for the tournament.
Ancer, playing in his first Masters, had six birdies to ascend to the top of the leaderboard. And Smith had an eagle and three consecutive birdies on his final four holes.
“It’s obviously good to be in contention on a weekend,” said Smith of Australia, whose best finish at the Masters was a tie for fifth in 2018. “I feel like I’ve been there enough where I can have a good crack at it.”