HOW LOW WILL THEY GO?
4 share Masters lead; soft greens fuel record scoring
AUGUSTA, Georgia — It’s no surprise to see Americans Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas among the clubhouse leaders at the Masters.
Mexico’s Abraham Ancer and Australia’s Cameron Smith, however, are doing their best to create a new world order at the top as the first fall Masters approaches what is expected to be a wild weekend of low scoring.
Johnson, the world’s No. 1-ranked player and the No. 3-ranked Thomas, both of whom are major champions, shared the 36-hole clubhouse lead on Friday with No. 21-ranked Ancer and the 45-ranked Smith.
Smith has one PGA Tour victory while Ancer, a star in December’s Presidents Cup for the losing International team, is seeking his first one. If it happens here, he Ancer would be only the third fourth player to win his as a Masters rookie, and first since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979. This is Smith’s fourth Masters appearance. He tied for fifth in 2018.
Johnson has 23 career PGA Tour wins, including his one major, at the 2016 U.S. Open. Thomas has 13 PGA Tour wins, including the 2017 PGA Championship.
All are at 9-under 135, and Johnson is the only one who didn’t shoot in the 60s in both of the first two rounds. Ancer has shot 68-67, Smith is at 67-68, Thomas has fired 66-69 and Johnson 65-70. No one in Masters history has shot in the 60s in all four rounds.
Patrick Cantlay, who had a share of the lead in the final round of the 2019 Masters before finishing in a tie for ninth place, matched the low round of the week with shot 66 in the second round and is one shot off the pace of the four leaders who are in the clubhouse.
Joining Cantlay at 8-under 136 is Korea’s Sungjae Im, who has fired with 6670.
The 84th Masters should get back on schedule today, after Thursday’s threehour weather delay and early sunsets this time of year set it back. The four coleaders were among 43 of the 91 players in the field to complete 36 holes.
The remaining 48 players will return this morning to wrap up their second round, after which the 36-hole cut will be made.
Of those still to complete the second round, world No. 2 Jon Rahm and Hideki Matsuyama lead the way. Rahm is 5 under for his round through 12 holes and Matsuyama is four under through 15 holes. They are one behind the clubhouse leaders. Paul Casey, who was the first-round clubhouse leader after shooting a 65, is 1 over through four holes and three shots behind the 36hole finishers.
“Obviously, there's a lot of boys still out there trying to work some magic, so we'll see,” Smith said, when asked about his position in the tournament. “I'm sure we're not going to be too far off the lead. It's obviously good to be in contention on a weekend, and I feel like I've been there enough where I can have a good crack at it.”
Ancer, playing in his first Masters and seeking to become the first Mexican to don the green jacket, was 9-under for the 25 holes he played on Friday. He was born in Texas, lived his first 14 years in Mexico and now lives in San Antonio. He holds dual citizenship in Mexico and the U.S.
“It's been amazing, and I know maybe it's not the same as in April, but I mean, it's incredible and I love it out here,” said Ancer, who arrived a week early in an effort to learn the golf course.
The talk of the morning was Johnson, until he cooled off in the afternoon. Johnson, who was 3 under par for his first round when he marked his ball after his drive on No. 10 with the suspension of play on Thursday. He came out Friday morning by notching four birdies to complete a 65, which tied Casey, who had finished Thursday, for the first-round lead. Dylan Frittelli also completed a 65 Friday morning but shot 73 in the second round.
After a quick turnaround to the second round, Johnson started on the back nine and birdied Nos. 11, 12 and 13 to go to 10-under for the tournament. He had a three-shot lead at the time, but played the rest of his round in 1over fashion for 70.
“Before I teed off, I think I would have taken it,” Johnson said of being at 135. “But obviously I feel like I played a little bit better than my position right now, but you know, I'm still happy with the way I'm swinging it, how I'm controlling the golf ball and everything I'm doing. You know, rolling the putter good. Just hopefully can see a few more go in over the weekend.”
Thomas has been frustrated that he has yet to finish in the top 10 in the Masters in his four previous starts. His best finish in now five starts was a tie for 12th last year. “I know the golf course, I know what to do, what not to do,” Thomas said. “I know the subtle nuances. I just simply haven't executed it and performed it well.”
The cut is expected to be a record low, thanks to softness of the greens the first two rounds in opening rounds. The top 50 and ties will make the cut, which is projected to be at even-par 144. The record for the highest cut is 145.
Scoring records fell in the first round where there were 53 under-par rounds, breaking the record of 38 from in 2009. The scoring average of 71.41 was also a record for an opening round.