The Live Report: The Masters, Round 2
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By PGATOUR.COM Staff
WRAPPING UP ROUND TWO (7:18 p.m.): There were a few major storylines to come out of the second round of the year's first major.
First, Tiger Woods, in his first action in five months, enters the weekend tied for third two shots off the lead. The last time he was tied for third after 36 holes here was 2005 -- he went on to win. Putting continues to be a problem for Woods, but it was at Bay Hill last year, too, and he won there.
Then there's the all-England club of Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood. It looked like Westwood might separate himself at one point, but a costly double bogey on No. 14 leaves him in a tie for the lead at 8 under with Poulter.
It was also a day in which the 50-somethings fell off the pace. Fred Couples is still in the mix at 3 under, but he was nine shots worse with a 75 on Friday. Tom Watson is 3 under, too, after shooting 74.
There are others, too -- Ricky Barnes is tied for third after a 70 and K.J. Choi and Y.E. Yang are third and eighth, respectively.
Add it all it up and it should make for a pretty interesting moving day. -- Brian Wacker
TEEN MAKES HISTORY (7:15 p.m.): Italian amateur Matteo Manassero became the youngest player ever to play in and make the cut at the Masters. The 16-year old made it on the number, finishing at 3 over after a 76 on Friday.
Previously, the youngest player to make the cut was Bobby Cole of South Africa, who was about a month shy of his 19th birthday when he made it in 1967. -- Brian Wacker
MICKELSON MISSES (7:10 p.m.): Phil Mickelson's approach shot landed on the front of the 18th green, leaving him a lengthy -- and unrealistic -- birdie chance. Still, his 1-under 71 leaves him in good position at 6 under, two shots off the lead and in a tie for third. It also means Mickelson will play with Y.E. Yang and not Tiger Woods, who will be paired with K.J. Choi on Saturday. The day's final pairing, meanwhile, will still be Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood. -- Brian Wacker
MOVING PARTS (6:45 p.m.): The second round is just about over, but there could be quite a shake up. Anthony Kim just bogeyed the final hole, dropping him to 6 under and out of a pairing with Tiger Woods. If Phil Mickelson birdies the hole, meanwhile, he would get to 7 under, and he would play with Woods.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the scoreboard, amateur Matteo Manassero will become the lone amateur to make the cut this year. He finished at 3 over, right on the cut line. -- Brian Wacker
TWO TIED FOR LEAD (6:30 p.m.): Thanks to a bogey on the 18th hole, Lee Westwood has fallen back into a tie for the lead at 8 under with fellow Englishman Ian Poulter.
Earlier in the week, the two played a nine-hole practice round together in which a little cash exchanged hands -- Poulter said he paid Westwood on seven of the nine holes.
"I would like to get some back tomorrow," Poulter joked. Now he'll have the chance. -- Brian Wacker
WIND TWO WINDING DOWN (6:25 p.m.): Barring something spectacular from Phil Mickelson -- or disastrous by Lee Westwood or Anthony Kim -- the final two pairings for Saturday are shaping up as must-see TV with the two Brits, Westwood and Ian Poulter, in the last group, and Kim and Tiger Woods in the second-to-last group. -- Brian Wacker
KIM MOVES INTO CONTENTION (6:10 p.m.): Different day, same story. Anthony Kim has hit just 50 percent of his fairways here in the second round, yet he's just two shots back after a birdie on the par-3 16th hole.
On the day, Kim has made four birdies and just one bogey and once again he's doing it by making them from all over the place. Case in point: He's taken 22 putts while hitting just nine of 16 greens in regulation. -- Brian Wacker
WATSON IN WITH 74 (5:49 p.m.): Tom Watson followed his 5-under 67 on Thursday with a 2-over 74 on Friday. That leaves him at 3 under for the tournament, currently tied for ninth.
Watson bogeyed the last hole, but he still finds himself in good position entering the weekend. Watson has not had a top-10 position after two rounds of the Masters since 1997, when he was 10th after 36 holes and eventually finished fourth.
Since then, he has missed the cut in every Masters start except one. That's not something he'll have to worry about this week. -- Mike McAllister
COUPLES, WATSON IN FLORIDA NEXT WEEK (5:30 p.m.): The field list for next week's Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am -- the next stop on the Champions Tour -- has just been released, and Fred Couples and Tom Watson have each committed to play. Will one of them show up at TPC Tampa Bay wearing a Green Jacket?
Couples, the first-round leader, is 3 under after his second-round 75. Watson, is still hanging tough at 4 under with one hole to play.
Check out the complete list of players for next week's tournament by clicking here.
And for more on Couples' second round, click here. -- Mike McAllister
And at Hilton Head: The field list is also out for next week's Verizon Heritage Classic, the next stop on the PGA TOUR. Ian Poulter, currently among the Masters leaders, has committed to play. Click here for the complete list.
BYE-BYE, ANGEL? (5:15 p.m.): Defending champion Angel Cabrera is flirting with an early exit. He just bogeyed the par-5 13th hole to fall to 3 over.
Cabrera appears to be struggling with his putter. He's used 24 in his first 13 holes while hitting nine greens and eight of 10 fairways. He hasn't made a birdie since the eighth hole of the first round.
The cut will include the low 44 players and ties and anyone within 10 strokes of the lead. There are currently 51 players at 3 over. -- Helen Ross
SIZZLING WESTWOOD? NOT ANYMORE (5:18 p.m.): Lee Westwood just cooled off -- considerably. He double-bogeyed the par-4 14th to drop back to 8 under. That leaves him in a tie with Ian Poulter, who's already in the clubhouse.
If Westwood stays at 8 under -- he's currently playing the par-5 15th -- and nobody else makes a significant move, then players who are 2 over or better will make the cut. -- Mike McAllister
CUT LINE UPDATE (5:05 p.m.): The projected cut line is currently 3 over, with nine players sitting on that number -- four of them (John Senden, Tim Clark, Alvaro Quiros and Chad Campbell) -- still out on the course.
So who are the notable players who in danger of missing the cut?
Three-time major winner Padraig Harrington is the biggest name that stands out. The Irishman followed his opening 74 with a second-round 75 and is 5 over for the tournament.
Germany's Martin Kaymer, currently ranked ninth in the Official World Golf Ranking, also is at 5 over.
Young Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland finished at 7 over after a second-round 77. Englishman Paul Casey, who has played so well this year, is still on the course at 8 over.
Jim Furyk, who opened with an 80, is even par on his round through 12 holes and remains at 8 over. And former Masters winner Vijay Singh, working through some injury problems, finished at 10 over.
Meanwhile, players who are hoping the cut line doesn't change include Camilo Villegas and Steve Stricker at 2 over, and defending champion Angel Cabrera, still on the course at 2 over. -- Mike McAllister
EYEING A SATURDAY MOVE (4:52 p.m.): With red-hot Lee Westwood setting a sizzling pace (he's currently 10 under with five holes to play), who knows what the lead will be once the second round is completed Friday. But one thing we do know is never to count out anybody on the weekend at Augusta National. -- Mike McAllister
Certainly a couple of American players at 1 under are not dismissing their chances.
Kenny Perry and Sean O'Hair were teammates on the victorious 2009 Presidents Cup team and they now find themselves in the group at 1 under par going into the weekend.
Perry, of course, lost in a three-man playoff here last year to Angel Cabrera. After his 1-under 71 on Friday got him in red figures, Perry suspects he'll have an early tee time in the third round, giving him an opportunity to make some noise.
"If I can go out there tomorrow and post something early ... I can get back in the tournament," he said.
Likewise, O'Hair -- who also shot a second-round 71 -- knows he'll need to make a move on Saturday if he wants to be in contention down the stretch Sunday.
Through the first two rounds, O'Hair has made four birdies, five bogeys and an eagle on Friday. He has only hit 23 of 36 greens in regulation, though, which has stymied his attempts to go really low.
"If I'm going to contend this week, I definitely need a big, big Saturday round," O'Hair said. "But you know, I can't really say, 'Hey, I'm going to go out there and go low' until I start giving myself more opportunities.
"I just haven't done that this week. I've done a really good job of just kind of keeping myself in it for making a lot of up and downs for pars, and I'm chipping the ball nicely this week. ... All that is is just maybe a couple good swings here and get some confidence, and then you go on a roll. You can definitely get on a roll on this golf course, that's for sure." -- Mike McAllister
CHECKING IN ON PHIL (4:31 p.m.): Phil Mickelson didn't make much noise in his front nine. After a birdie on the third hole to move to 6 under, the two-time Masters champ dropped back to 4 under with bogeys at the fifth and eighth holes.
One piece of good news for Mickelson, though -- his irons have been accurate, as he's hit eight of his first 10 greens in the second round. -- Mike McAllister
TIGER PLEASED WITH PUTTER (4:28 p.m.): The score wasn't as good but the putter was more cooperative, which gives Tiger Woods even more reason for optimism as he contemplates the weekend.
"I felt like I hit my lines all day today," Woods said after finishing off his second-round 70, leaving him at 6 under for the tournament. "I want to be in contention, and put myself right there. As of now, I'm two back, and we've got 36 more holes to go."
When he finished, Woods only had one person between him and the leader, Lee Westwood. The Englishman, who has finished third in the last two majors, was 9 under for the tournament with six holes remaining in his second round.
"Even if they do reach double digits, if someone gets up there, that's fine," Woods said. "This golf course you can make up shots and you can lose shots. That's one of the beauties of it. It should be an exciting weekend." -- Helen Ross
ABOUT THOSE SUNGLASSES (4:36 p.m.): Tiger Woods doesn't usually wear sunglasses, but he did on Friday. "Allergies are killing my eyes," Woods said after his second-round 70. "I've been sneezy and hacking all week." -- Mike McAllister
BARNES ALSO AT 6 UNDER (4:20 p.m.): Ricky Barnes has joined Tiger Woods and K.J. Choi in the group at 6 under, thanks to a birdie on the 18th hole for a second-round 70. -- Mike McAllister
WOODS IN GREAT SHAPE (4 p.m.): Tiger Woods just put the finishing touches on a second-round 2-under 70, leaving him at 6 under for the tournament and within striking distance of the lead, two shots off the current clubhouse lead.
After posting two eagles on Thursday during his opening 68, Woods went eagle-less on Friday. Still, he had three birdies and just one bogey in a solid, if not exactly spectacular, round.
Woods was solid off the tee Friday, finding 11 of 14 fairways, and needed just 28 putts on the day.
Woods hasn't been in this kind of position after the second round since his last win at Augusta National in 2005 when he was in third place after 36 holes. In fact, he's found himself in the top five after 36 holes of the Masters five times in his 15 previous Masters starts -- and four times he went on to win.
Incidentally, one of Woods' playing partners, K.J. Choi, also is 6 under after the first two rounds after his 1-under 71 on Friday. The only time Choi has contended in seven previous starts at the Masters, he was in fourth place after two rounds in 2004 and eventually finished third. -- Mike McAllister
DANISH DARKHOUSE? (3:54 p.m.): Soren Kjeldsen isn't the most recognizable name near the top of the leaderboard, but he's in great position to make his presence felt on the weekend.
Kjeldsen remained steady on Friday with a 1-under 71 and is now 3 under for the tournament, which currently has him on the first page of the leaderboard.
"I played nicely," Kjeldsen said of his round, in which he hit 14 of 18 greens and 11 of 14 fairways. For the first two rounds, Kjeldsen has missed just seven greens in regulation. "I played solid both days ... I've been hitting it well and I made a few putts, so it's been good."
Kjeldsen is playing in just his second Masters -- he missed the cut last year -- and he fully expects Augusta National to be much tougher on the weekend.
"I think these first two days is probably as soft as we'll ever see (the greens)," he said. "I don't think they like soft greens here too much. ... No question, if we don't get any more water over the next few days, it will firm up and it's going to make it more difficult." -- Mike McAllister
POULTER IN WITH 68 (3:35 p.m.): A bogey at the last hole probably left Ian Poulter with a bad taste in his mouth, but the fact remains that he will enter the weekend at Augusta National in great shape to claim his first major win.
Poulter's second-consecutive 68 puts him at 8 under for the tournament. He's currently the clubhouse leader, with fellow Englishman Lee Westwood making the turn atop the leaderboard at 9 under.
Poulter, who won this year's World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, has never held a lead after any stroke-play event on the PGA TOUR. His best position after the second round on TOUR is second in 2009 at THE PLAYERS Championship. His best position in a major after the second round is T3 at the 2008 Masters (T25).
"It's helped a lot to win on this side of the pond," Poulter said. "The fact that it was a WGC has given me an extra boost.
"I'm in a position now where I can go out and be kind of aggressive on the golf course. I feel very comfortable out there hitting certain shots; there's a lot of shots that I didn't feel I was very comfortable pulling off six years ago, but certainly I am now. I am more aggressive on the golf course and you have to be aggressive to your targets around this place. You can't let this course intimidate you too much, because you'll back away from the shots you should be taking on." -- Mike McAllister
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM FRIDAY (3 p.m.): One of the of newest members of Augusta National? Pro Football Hall of Famer Lynn Swann. The former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, now a Pittsburgh businessman, was hosting friends for lunch in the men's grill Friday. When congratulated on his crisp Green Jacket, Swann smiled and said he's been enjoying his first Masters as a member. ...
Ben Crenshaw, sporting his Green Jacket, was lunching on the lawn with friends after his round. He may be headed home following rounds of 77 and 78, but he won't be resting. Crenshaw has to prep for a dance next weekend at Austin High where daughter Claire is a senior. All the fathers of the senior dance team members -- the Red Jackets -- have to perform in the spring show. ...
LPGA Hall of Famer Louise Suggs opted for a seat inside the clubhouse when the cool wind whipped up. She was marveling over Tom Watson and Fred Couples opening rounds. And, of course, resting her feet. ...
Grammy winner Larry Gatlin was hanging out on the lawn, too, sporting a pair of orange-and-white golf shoes and a University of Texas burnt orange striped shirt. He's a close friend of Crenshaw's and, in fact, sang at the Champions dinner Sunday night in 1995 -- the year Crenshaw won his second. The first Crenshaw win? Gatlin and his brothers were standing on their heads when Crenshaw walked in the house back in 1984. -- Melanie Hauser
WESTWOOD BOUNCES BACK (2:44 p.m.): The definition of a bounce-back is making birdie after a bogey. Well, Lee Westwood just made two straight birdies, on Nos. 6 and 7. That brings Westwood to 9 under for the week and puts him in the lead by one over Ian Poulter. -- Brian Wacker
LIFE OF RILEY (2:26 p.m.): He played practice rounds with Ian Woosnam and Fuzzy Zoeller, then had Ben Crenshaw as one of his playing partners in the first two rounds. Fellow Clemson Tiger Lucas Glover, the reigning U.S. Open champ, also helped show Ben Martin the ropes.
The Clemson senior won't make the cut at the Masters after shooting 11 over, though. But he'll have a ton of memories, including that waterlogged 8 he made at Augusta National's 13th hole on Friday.
Martin had to take his shoes and socks off to hit his fourth shot from the water there after he fatted his third into Rae's Creek. He took off his hat and donned a rain vest for "security" as he surveyed his ball that was about one-third submerged.
"Some people started cheering when I took my shoes off," Martin said. "I really didn't know how it was going to come out. I asked my caddie, 'Have you ever hit one of these before' and he was like, ;Nope, just hit it and hope.'"
Martin, who was the runner-up at last year's U.S. Amateur, said Crenshaw couldn't have been more supportive of both him and Steve Flesch.
"He's always pulling for you," Martin said. "If you watch him when other guys are putting, he's wanting the ball to go in. He was just talking to me all day, and I had a lot of fun."
Martin planned to stay in Augusta and watch the final two rounds of the Masters from the other side of the gallery ropes. Next up for him is the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in two weeks.
"It'll be a little different with about four or five people out there watching instead of 30,000 or 40,000, but that's kind of what I'm used to, so maybe I can get back in my element and do a little something," Martin said. -- Helen Ross
CHANGE AT THE TOP (2:18 p.m.): Ian Poulter has been nearly flawless here in the second round, making four birdies and zero bogeys. In fact, Poulter has made just two bogeys all week and as a result he's now in the lead at 8 under with four holes left in his second round.
Lee Westwood, meanwhile, just gave a shot back with a bogey on the par-4 fifth hole to fall back to 7 under. Fred Couples also faltered, dropping to 5 under with a bogey on the par-3 16th hole. -- Brian Wacker
PAR STREAK (2:12 p.m.): Earlier, we noted how Tiger Woods has had some very good second rounds here at Augusta National. Today won't be one of them. Woods got off to a good start with a birdie on the par-5 second, but he bogeyed the fourth and has since made nine straight pars to remain at even par on the day.
That's the bad news for Woods. The good news is he still has two par-5s to play, Nos. 13 and 15. In the opening round, Woods eagled two of Augusta National's three par-5s. -- Brian Wacker
YOU TWEET, WE ANSWER (2:05 p.m.): "Is scoring down because of how long the course is playing? Or is the wind up today?" -- @PresDistler
Neither. It's mostly because the pins are in much more difficult locations. The first round, for example, the pin on No. 1 was in the middle of the green. Today, not so much -- it's right over the bunker. Augusta National officials brought back the birdies last year by having a similar opening-round set-up, but they don't want the Masters to turn into the Bob Hope Classic, either. -- Brian Wacker
DOWNWARD SPIRAL (1:53 p.m.): For most of the morning, the numbers posted beside Nick Watney's name marked the only movement on the leaderboard during the second round of the Masters.
Watney shot 68 in the first round and briefly got to 5 under when he made birdie at the fifth hole. The fresh-faced Californian went on to make the turn in 36 before disaster struck and he came home in 40 to finish 36 holes at even par.
"It's a totally opposite wind from yesterday and also with the rain it made it a little bit longer," Watney reported. "Definitely a few tougher pins out there. So I think scores will go up a touch."
Not surprisingly given his adventure, Watney sees the biggest challenge Friday coming on the back nine. He took 33 putts on Friday, as well.
"There's some tough flags and the wind, depending upon which gust you get, the par 5s are reachable or not," Watney said. "So I guess it would be starting at, well, 11 through 16 would be a really important stretch." -- Helen Ross
NEW LEADER (1:38 p.m.): Lee Westwood has been knocking on the door of his first major championship for a while now -- remember, he just missed a playoff at last year's British Open. Friday, he kicked it in to take the lead with a tap-in eagle on the par-5 second hole, where his long-iron approach was about as good as it could be without the ball going in the hole. One hole and one birdie later and Westwood is 8 under with Fred Couples, Ian Poulter and Ricky Barnes two shots back.
Westwood doesn't have a great track record in this event -- just one career top-10, which came in 1999 when he tied for sixth. He has had a very strong season, though. Westwood tied for eighth at the Shell Houston Open, tied for ninth at The Honda Classic and has a pair of top-three finishes on the European Tour this season. -- Brian Wacker
WATSON FALTERS (1:30 p.m.): Tom Watson has said Augusta National is too long a course for him to realistically contend for all four rounds of the Masters. But he certainly isn't among the shortest hitters in this field.
In tying his career-best at the Masters with a 5-under 67, Watson's average driving distance (two holes were measured) was 281.0 yards, ranking him 60th in the field of 96. His average was better than Ernie Els and youngsters Anthony Kim, Ryan Moore and Ricky Barnes, among others.
On Friday, he easily outdrove one of his playing partners, Tim Clark, on the opening tee shot, and nearly equaled his other playing partner, Steve Marino.
Alas, Watson's approach shot on the par-4 first came up short of the game, and he failed to get up-and-down, posting his first bogey of the tournament (he was bogey-free on Thursday).
Incidentally, on the Champions Tour, Watson is one of the biggest hitters, currently ranking 12th this year with a 281.5-yard average. First-round leader Fred Couples leads the Champions Tour in driving with an average of 298.7 yards. -- Mike McAllister
TIGER TURNS (1:25 p.m.): Tiger Woods is back where he started at 4 under. Woods just made the turn in 36 after a one-birdie, one-bogey front nine here at Augusta National, where scoring conditions have been much more difficult in the second round.
Woods has been shaky with his irons most of the day, hitting just five of nine greens in regulation. He also hasn't putted great, taking 14 putts through his first nine holes. -- Brian Wacker
YOU TWEET, WE ANSWER (1:19 p.m.): "Why are the 11th, 12th and 13th holes called Amen Corner?" -- @itsDvH
In short, famed sportswriter Herbert Warren Wind. The longer version: Wind first used the term in an April 21, 1958 article for Sports Illustrated. Some 26 years later, Wind told Golf Digest that he wanted to come up with some catchy way to describe where some of the most exciting golf had taken place in that year's Masters. According to Wind, he got it from the title of a jazz record, "Shouting in Amen Corner" by Chicago's Mezz Mezzrow, that he'd listened to while at Yale University in the 1930s. -- Brian Wacker
POULTER PULLS EVEN (1:10 p.m.): As mentioned earlier, Ian Poulter has never finished in the top 10 at the Masters. Well, the colorful Brit is now tied for the lead after making the turn in 2-under 34.
Meanwhile, Fred Couples, who began the day with a one-shot lead, has fallen back to 6 under after a bogey on No. 9 (he's through 12). Ricky Barnes also remains at 6 under after two early birdies and pars on his last five holes. -- Brian Wacker
TWEET OF THE DAY (1:02 p.m.): "Any Pimento cheese yet? Best ever..." -- @pimentocheese
Not sure what's more disturbing, the fact there weren't any pimento cheese sandwiches left in the media dining the last time I checked or the fact there's a Twitterer out there called pimentocheese. They're right, though -- the sandwiches are very tasty.
JAIDEE WD (12:50 p.m.): Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee has withdrawn from the Masters. He had just birdied the 10th hole but an elbow injury made it impossible for him to continue.
Jaidee, who shot 74 in the first round, played his front nine in 41 on Friday. He missed the cut in his only other appearance at Augusta National in 2006. -- Helen Ross
YOU TWEET, WE ANSWER (12:40 p.m.): "What's happened to all the Irish guys? It's bad enough our economy being in the toilet but not our golfers :-(" -- @ronanmorris
The Irish eyes definitely are not smiling today. Padraig Harrington and Rory McIlroy each shot 74 Thursday and neither player is faring well today. Harrington is 2 over through nine and McIlroy is 3 over through 12.
Harrington's problems have been mostly with his ball-striking -- he hit just 50 percent of his greens in regulation Thursday and has hit just 55 percent of them so far Friday.
Ditto McIlroy, who has just two birdies and who hit 55 percent of his greens in Round 1 and has hit 50 percent Friday. McIlroy also took 30 putts in the opening round and has 20 of them through 12 holes Friday -- Brian Wacker
LEADER UPDATE (12:31 p.m.): Fred Couples just bogeyed the ninth hole, dropping him to 6 under and into a tie for the lead with ... Ricky Barnes.
Barnes, who is 2 under today, tied for second at last year's U.S. Open, but he has just one top-10 since (a ninth-place finish at the Northern Trust Open earlier this year).
Meanwhile, Ian Poulter is still at 5 under after a birdie at No. 2 and five straight pars. -- Brian Wacker
FIT TO BE TIED (12:15 p.m.): Ryan Moore may be the most nattily attired player in the field this week, as he's worn a tie tucked into his shirt in the first two rounds. On Thursday, his tie was tucked into a long-sleeve shirt, although his sleeves were rolled up, as he shot an even-par 72. On Friday, he's wearing a sweater over his tie-and-shirt ensemble since the temperatures have turned cooler.
Moore's outfits definitely makes him stand out in the crowd. One reaction on Twitter Friday morning: "Ryan Moore is wearing a tie again today at the Masters. a) How did I miss that yesterday? b) That is AMAZING. Very cool move."
Another tweeted: "Ryan Moore is looking great again... Got the tie working again, but the morning tee time allows him to tuck it in the sweater. Very hip!"
Some wonder, though, whether the fashionable clothes are restrictive when Moore swings a club.
Wrote one reader on Golfwrx.com: "I just can't see his white dress shirt with rolled up sleeves and tie being all that conducive to a free swing."
Added another: "I hate wearing those type of shirts because I feel like I can't move in them. No idea how he can swing in that shirt. But if he likes it, that's all that matters."
Indeed. But we'll see how much it really matters if he makes any noise the rest of this week at the Masters. -- Mike McAllister
WOODS GIVES ONE BACK (11:43 a.m.): Well, that was short-lived. After getting to within two of Fred Couples, Tiger Woods just gave a stroke back with a bogey on the par-3 fourth hole. It's been an up-and-down day -- literally and figuratively -- for Woods, who's hit just two of his four greens in regulation so far. -- Brian Wacker
CHASING COUPLES (11:35 a.m.): Fred Couples still leads early in the second round, but two more players have joined the long list of those at 5 under. Ian Poulter and Tiger Woods each birdied the par-5 second hole. Meanwhile, Ricky Barnes, who contended at last year's U.S. Open before flaming out in the final round, has birdied his last two holes -- Nos. 2 and 3 -- to get to 6 under and within one of Couples. -- Brian Wacker
SCORING SLOWDOWN (11:19 a.m.): In the opening round, 31 players were under par. Here in the second round, there are are currently just eight players in red numbers. It's early, of course, but it's also cool -- just 58 degrees at the moment -- and breezy. The fairways are also very soft after a lot of overnight rain -- meaning players won't get a lot of run-out on their tee shots -- and the pins are in much more difficult spots than Thursday. -- Brian Wacker
AND THEY'RE OFF (11:07 a.m.) The throng around the first tee at the Augusta National at 10:35 a.m. Friday was about two-thirds as large as it was when Tiger Woods hit his opening tee shot in the first round.
You could actually walk between the stately old oak tree behind the clubhouse and the area where the tee was roped off. You could even get close enough to catch a glimpse of Woods, who was clad in black pants, black sweater and green shirt, as he took a few last putts on the practice green.
He was greeted enthusiastically once again by applause and shouts of "Go Tiger" as he walked to the tee to join K.J. Choi. The third member of the group, Matt Kuchar, soon followed. Together on Thursday, they had shot 11 under and all three were in red numbers.
Woods' opening drive strayed left into the trees, scattering fans who quickly formed a gauntlet around his ball. His second shot landed just short of the gaping greenside bunker and his chip to within inches ensured a safe par. -- Helen Ross
POULTER ON THE MOVE (11:03 a.m.): If there's a European version of Vijay Singh -- a guy who works tirelessly on his game -- it might be Ian Poulter.
Before Poulter won the world Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship earlier this year, he put in a lot of extra time working on his game. Specifically, Poulter made a lot more notes in his yardage book. Fast forward to this week at Augusta National, where Poulter said if he'd put one more line in the yardage book, it would look like his kids' scribble book.
Apparently, it's paying off. Poulter matched his career-best round at the Masters with an opening 68, and he's now in a tie for second two shots back after a birdie on No. 2.
Poulter has never finished in the top 10 in five trips to the Masters with his best result a tie for 13th in 2007. -- Brian Wacker
REACTION TO NIKE AD (10:57 a.m.): There's been a lot of reaction to Tiger Woods' latest Nike ad (click here to see it). Friday, Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg of IMG, commented on it, telling CNBC's Darren Rovell, "When Nike approached me about it, I said let's shoot this and decide after if it works.
"Nike knew that there was a possibility we'd shoot it and then decide not to go through with it. This wasn't a product spot. It wasn't about selling anything. It was about a moment in time where Tiger was acknowledging that there was a lot in his life that he was not proud of and this is what his father would have said to him."
Steinberg also added that they'll be working on other endorsements in the future, but that there wouldn't be any new deals right now. -- Brian Wacker
TIGER TEES OFF (10:40 a.m.): Tiger Woods just teed off on No. 10 here at Augusta National, where he has a history of some pretty good second rounds. Unlike the first round, when Woods hadn't broken 70 until Thursday, he's gone sub-70 in the second round five times in his Masters career. The last of those came in 2005 when he shot 66 before going on to win (see below for more). -- Brian Wacker
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COUPLES INCREASES LEAD (10:24 a.m.): Fred Couples is just two holes into his round and he's already extended his lead to two shots with a birdie on the par-5 second hole.
That moves Couples to 7 under for the week, but he's got a long way to go to tie or break the 36-hole scoring record here at Augusta. That mark is 13 under, held by Ray Floyd, who opened with rounds of 65 and 66 in 1976.
Still, with conditions soft and less wind, a guy who carries it as far and high as Couples does stands to do well in Round 2. -- Brian Wacker
COUPLES ON THE COURSE (10:10 a.m.): Fred Couples' second round is under way -- he parred the first hole. Couples has some company, though, with Nick Watney just two shots back.
Watney had gotten to within one of Couples with a birdie on the par-4 fifth, but he gave it right back with a bogey on the next hole. -- Brian Wacker
COMEBACK TRAIL (9:55 a.m.): When Trevor Immelman shot a 69 in the first round of the Masters, it marked just the second time he'd broken 70 in 14 rounds this season.
The 2008 Masters champion is playing in just his fifth tournament after having surgery last October to repair some torn cartilage in his left wrist. He's made the cut in three events but a tie for 59th is his best finish.
Augusta National, though, seems to bring out the best in the young South African who has been diligent about his rehab. Thursday marked his sixth round here in the 60s, although it was three strokes off Immelman's career-low of 65 in 2005 when he tied for fifth.
"There's no doubt about it," Immelman said. "I think everybody is inspired when they walk onto these grounds. But I attribute it to just a lot of hard work. Once I made the decision to have the surgery in October, you know, couldn't touch a club for three months, and the rehab was seriously intense. I started hitting balls around the first week of February, and it's just been a lot of hard growth.
"I felt like I was getting close, but still not close enough. The practice rounds here I started hitting some shots that felt real good, and nice to do the same today." -- Helen Ross
SANDY SLIDES (9:45 a.m.): Has the slide already started for all the Champions Tour players dotting the leaderboard? It has for Sandy Lyle, at least.
A day after shooting a 3-under 69, Lyle is already 8 over through his first six holes Friday. Lyle got off to an inauspicious start with a double bogey on the first hole -- followed by two more double bogeys, a bogey and another double bogey. Lyle finally made a par on the par-3 sixth, but he's already taken 14 putts and on his way to what now looks like will be a short week. -- Brian Wacker
POSITIVE VIBES (9:30 a.m.): Adam Scott was just 21 and already a two-time winner on the European Tour when he played in his first Masters Tournament in 2002. He shot 3 under that year and tied for ninth, which remains his only top-10 finish.
Until Thursday, though, Scott had never broken 70 in 29 rounds at Augusta National. So it's easy to see why the young Australian, who is coming off a tie for 14th at the Shell Houston Open, is looking forward to the rest of the week.
Scott only missed one fairway on Thursday. If a few more of those 31 putts had fallen -- "That's where you have to be so patient," Scott said -- the six-time PGA TOUR champ might have been really, really pleased.
"I honestly think they're planning on probably letting the course play a little harder each day, a little firmer, and I think that's a good way to go," Scott said.
"It got the tournament off to a great start. They've got a hell of a leaderboard. It's got to be exciting. ... If I keep playing the way I am, you know, it would be hard for me not to stay in the hunt playing this well.
"But I know there are going to be some times I hit some bad shots and I'm going to have to scramble. As always, you've got to have everything pretty good at a major." -- Helen Ross
UNDER THE RADAR (9:17 a.m.): The real crowd was a group ahead watching some guy named Tiger Woods. But Ricky Barnes and Adam Scott put on a pretty good display, shooting 68 and 69, respectively, in Thursday's final pairing.
"That's fine with me," Barnes said. "If I'm shooting 68 and I'm forgotten, that's fine with me. ... We made some good stuff in our group on the back nine, so we're going to take that into tomorrow."
Barnes is playing in the Masters for the first time since 2003 when he earned a spot with his U.S. Amateur victory the previous year. He finished 21st, opening with a 69 and going on to shoot 3 over for the week and earn low amateur honors.
The intervening years have not been that kind for Barnes. But he garnered another invitation when he tied for second at last year's U.S. Open -- which turned out to be the Arizona grad's only top-10 of the season.
Now Barnes, who has played Augusta National twice since 2003, wants to make the most his second chance at the Masters. His brother, Andy, an assistant coach at Arizona, has come out of "retirement," to caddy for Barnes as he did at Bethpage Black last year.
"It proves that you did something good enough to get back in here," Barnes said. "It's not a one week qualifier kind of thing like the Open. You can't just kind of come out and qualify for it. (It means) a lot.
"I love being back here. I always wanted to get back here as a pro and not just an invite from a member. So I'm glad to be back." -- Helen Ross
HAPPY CAMPER (9:10 a.m.): Y.E. Yang wasn't as surprised as he was happy with the round of 67 he shot Thursday during the first round of the Masters. He's one stroke off the lead held by Fred Couples, as a result.
The 5-under score was six strokes lower than the reigning PGA champ's best at Augusta National -- and far exceeded his goal of even par. Yang is a legitimate threat to win consecutive majors, as a result.
"I've really never thought about it that way," Yang said. "Every tournament that I come into, I usually try to put myself in a position to at least go into the top 10 after the third round. It would be nice, yes, but no, I really don't have a conscious, I guess, feeling of trying to win back to back majors, no." -- Helen Ross
A COOLER, SOFTER AUGUSTA NATIONAL (9 a.m.): The first round of the Masters featured firm, fast fairways. After a heavy dose of rain late Thursday, though, Augusta National is a lot softer.
That won't hurt guys like Tiger Woods and Fred Couples because they can carry it a long way off the tee. Tom Watson, on the other hand, would have preferred it stayed dry.
Watson knows it is hard to compete on a big-hitters course if he's not getting any run-out on his tee shots. He's not Corey Pavin short, but his length off the tee is average at best. Maybe a 12:25 p.m. tee time will help, though the high today will only be around 60 degrees -- not exactly enough to dry the place out. -- Brian Wacker
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