2016 MASTERS: Spieth keeps lead as an epic battle beckons

BY STEVE KEIPERT AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL

THE 80th Masters began with anticipation of a heavyweight title fight where the golf world had ringside seats, and Saturday at Augusta National will deliver two of the top-three golfers in the world duking it out for the lead – plus several undercard players in support.

Defending champion Jordan Spieth saw his two-shot overnight lead sliced in half at the midpoint at Augusta National, in the process matching Arnold Palmer’s 55-year-old record for most consecutive rounds holding the Masters lead (six). Spieth sits four-under after a 74 and leads Rory McIlroy by a shot, setting up one of the most intriguing day-three final pairings in Masters history. Yet he had to work hard to retain top spot as round two at the Masters morphed into something more like a US Open. No one bettered 70 for the day, the first time that’s happened in nine years, and only seven players are under par through two rounds. But the same smiling assassin remains in front even if his weaponry was tested.

Jordan Spieth’s Friday round at the Masters yielded both agony and ecstasy. He remains up by one. PHOTOS: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Spieth finally endured an over-par round and conceded to feeling rushed at times on the back nine as his group were put ‘on the clock’ for pace of play. This coincided with some errant play and frittered shots, which wasn’t the case 24 hours ago. Today Spieth suffered setbacks, but in his typical style, he prevented complete damage, punctuating the round by saving par from a greenside bunker at the 18th to remain ahead of McIlroy.

“I can use the back nine today as a learning experience,” Spieth said. “It was very tough to stay cool. It’s a lot easier said than done. You could say, ‘It looked like you got emotional out there.’ I mean, you guys (the media) try it. That was a hard golf course.”

After 22 blemish-free holes, it was the wickedly difficult 5th green that cursed Spieth with a four-putt from the lower front portion of the huge, rippled green. At the par-3 next, he airmailed his tee shot over the green and seemed to be turning what was a five-stroke advantage into just a two-shot edge. But then right on cue, he canned a 17-footer to stave off a likely bogey and two holes later birdied the 8th hole to reignite his forward momentum. Then came the topsy-turvy back nine.

McIlroy also rode a roller-coaster, starting the day two-under, reaching four-under after three holes then retreating to even-par after 11. He showed patience and pluck to birdie the two inward par-5s plus rammed home a 40-footer for birdie at 16 a day after three-putting the same green.

The largest putt in the context of the tournament didn’t come at the hands of Spieth, but rather the streaky blade of McIlroy. Trying to post a 36-hole tally of three-under that would place him eye-to-eye with Spieth on Saturday, the career Grand Slam aspirant faced a six-foot par putt on the 18th to sit above the players at two-under and duly drained it in the centre. This mouth-watering duel is now set for tomorrow afternoon, even if both men would prefer to distant themselves from the build-up.

Rory McIlroy looms as Jordan Spieth’s nearest and most potent challenger.
PHOTO: David Cannon/Getty Images

“There’s the potential tomorrow for someone to shoot a few under and move up into the lead from outside the top‑25,” Spieth said of the need to look beyond just his Saturday playing companion. “There’s a potential for that with what I saw on the last six holes today, the way the course was playing. So I don’t think either one of us is focused on each other. I think we’re focused on the golf course.”

“I'm really trying to block that out,” McIlroy added. “It’s another golf tournament I’m trying to win. I’m trying to beat guys on this leaderboard that I’ve beaten before, so I need to take confidence from that and know that I’ve been in this position before. Maybe not on this golf course, but I’ve been in this position before in big tournaments and been able to get the job done.

“So that’s the way I need to approach it. Look, I know it’s a very big weekend for me. I know that. But when I’m out there on the golf course, I just have to be completely 100 percent focused on the task at hand and if I can do that and stay in the moment and be completely focused over every golf shot I hit from now until Sunday night, then hopefully everything will work out the way I want it to.”

MASTERS LEADERBOARD  |  DAY THREE TEE-TIMES

The chasing pack is congested, with the ‘ten-shot rule’ deciding the cutline and allowing 57 players to make the cut at six-over. More significantly, 22 players sit within five shots of Spieth’s lead.

It was a day that for some time looked to be following on from 2015, prompting observers to relish the chance to see a Masters maestro at work as Spieth bids to become just the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters. But later, more of a challenge materialised, as did some uncertainty over the weekend that will force Spieth to work for a second green jacket – and work in a manner that he hasn’t for the past 108 holes of Masters competition.

McIlroy knows only too well how quickly circumstances can change at Augusta, both favourably and otherwise.

“Unless someone is playing exceptionally well and really distances themselves from the field, everything sort of evens out. Jordan got off to a very fast start yesterday, got off to another fast start today. The conditions are so tough, it’s hard to keep that going. You’re always going to make mistakes here and there and it all evens out at the end of the week. There’s still another 36 holes to go and a lot can happen. There’s a lot of players still within five or six of the lead that can have a great weekend and contend.

“The most comfortable thing for me on this golf course is knowing that even if you are five or six shots back, things can change quite quickly. I’ve been on the opposite end of that where things can start to get away from you. But that gives me confidence knowing that if you are a little bit behind, you can definitely make a comeback.”

Danny Lee is the leaderboard surprise packet, as the Kiwi sits at two-under and within striking distance. PHOTO: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

The average score on day one of 74.09 was surpassed by more than stroke on Friday as the context of the tournament changed with every puff of breeze as birdies, even on the par-5s, truly made a difference. Most unfortunate to not break 70 was amateur Bryson DeChambeau, who shot into contention with a birdie at the 9th and another pair thanks to exceptional approaches at the insanely difficult 11th and 12th holes. Alas, it all unravelled at the last where his drive finished in an unplayable lie in a holly bush for which the 18th is named, leading to a triple-bogey and a 72. The eccentric Californian is seeking to become the Masters’ first amateur winner. Three times a lilywhite has taken or shared second place but never has the tournament that began as the vision of the game’s greatest amateur of all worn the green jacket. In what is DeChambeau’s final start as an amateur, he drew upon every one of his unique swing principles and scientific theories to survive elements that were far from scientific.

DeChambeau is the reigning US Amateur and NCAA champion, bringing as much pedigree to the Masters as any amateur participant in recent times. And nothing would enhance the legacy of Bobby Jones more than a fellow amateur winning the Masters, even if it did take 80 stagings.

He’s a contender, as are so many others. The tournament is set up for more wild conditions before a shootout in perfect spring weather on Sunday. The winner is likely to be the one who survives one more tough day then unleashes a final birdie barrage.

SEEN & HEARD

* IT took 23 holes for Jordan Spieth to drop a stroke at this Masters and he did so with a pair. The scene of Spieth’s double-bogey crime was the 5th hole, one of the truly underrated gems at Augusta National. Arguably the toughest test on the front nine, the hole named “Magnolia” climbs steeply uphill and around two gaping fairway bunkers on the left towards a green with more ripples than an unkempt blanket plus a single greenside bunker behind. Spieth four-putted from 50 feet, losing a little poise and momentum. The lesson: beware the 455-yard par-4 5th hole.

* STROLLING in through the gates of Augusta National on Friday was a gent wearing a Canterbury Bulldogs rugby league jersey. Spotted in the crowd by a fellow Australian, he was told: “I bet you’re the only person walking in here today wearing a jumper like that.”

* AMONG the great spots to sit and watch the Masters action is across the pond left of the 16th green (below), which affords ideal views of the glorious par-3 and the nearby green of the par-5 15th. But patrons need to be careful – and respectful. A group of Australians was gently chided for some slightly overzealous cheering of a fine birdie putt holed by New Zealand’s Danny Lee, prompting one security person to remind them of “Bobby Jones’ edict of decorum”. The Aussies responded accordingly and celebrated more discretely thereafter.

* TOM Watson bid his competitive farewell to the Masters today after 134 rounds. The 66-year-old, two-time champion began the 2016 tournament with a respectable 74 but added a 78 to miss the cut by two. It’s something of a Friday tradition at the Masters these days, but Ian Woosnam unexpectedly added his name to the list of retiring champions after shooting 82-81 exactly 25 years after his lone major win. However, one could argue Watson could have waited at least one more year for the 40th anniversary of his first green jacket in 1977.