Past two Masters champions miss the cut
The last two Masters champions won't be playing on the weekend. Defending champion
Sergio Garcia and 2016 winner Danny Willett missed the 36-hole cut Friday at Augusta National.
Willett finished the second round with consecutive bogeys, missing out by two strokes. He ended up at 7-over 151.
Garcia's reign was essentially over when he wrote a double-digit number on his scorecard in the opening round Thursday. The Spaniard and new father hit five consecutive balls into the water at the par-5 15th — four of them from less than 100 yards out and with a sand wedge in his hands.
Garcia ended up with an octuplet-bogey 13 that was the highest score posted by any player ever on the hole. Garcia finished with an 81 — the highest score ever shot by a defending champion in the opening round of the Masters. Wesley Bryan (152) and
Shubhankar Sharma (151) also are headed home earlier than they hoped.
Among those who made the cut on the number (149) were three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson and
Ian Poulter, who earned his trip to Augusta by winning the Houston Open last week.
•World No. 1 Dustin Johnson had one of the best par saves of the day. Playing the par-3 16th in the second round Friday, Johnson landed just off the back of the green. His second shot, with his putter, rolled more 45 feet past the hole and set up a long, uphill putt that he turned into an improbable par.
It helped Johnson finish the day 3 under and four shots behind Patrick Reed.
One of the biggest hitters on the PGA Tour, Johnson feasted on the par 5s Friday. He made an eagle at No. 2 and birdies at Nos. 8 and 13.
His shot was by no way the only highlight of the day.
Former Oklahoma State golfer Rickie Fowler saved par on No. 6 with a 66-foot putt. Fowler is also 2-under.
Another memorable shot was Russell Henley's 82-footer for eagle on No. 15.
•Given Jordan Spieth's past experiences at Augusta National, there was no reason to panic.
It was the front nine. It was the second round. It was nowhere near the worst he's been through at the Masters.
So Spieth remained calm despite losing a two-shot lead on the first two holes. He excused it as typical "punches" from a daunting golf course in difficult conditions. He responded by making two birdies over the final six holes, helping him recover from the inauspicious start.
He finished with a 2-over 74 that left him 4 under for the tournament.