2016 MASTERS: Work lies ahead for the remaining Aussies

BY STEVE KEIPERT AT AUGUSTA NATIONAL

FRUITLESS so far, the Australian contingent at the 80th Masters is hoping to reap more over the weekend than they have so far in the working week.

All bar Marc Leishman and Steven Bowditch made the cut, which fell at six-over 150, and the remaining three can consider themselves distantly in contention – especially if the difficult windy conditions remain in place for at least another round, as forecast.

Jason Day (73) is five shots back with 14 players in front of him, Cam Smith (73) excelled in his first Masters and trails by seven and Adam Scott (72) birdied the last hole to pull within eight. On the flip side, Leishman (77) bogeyed the last two holes to miss the cut by a shot and Bowditch is heading home after disastrous rounds of 79-82.

Jason Day made another solid start but again squandered shots on Augusta’s back nine in a so-so round of 73. PHOTO: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Day endured more back-nine horrors, making three bogeys and no birdies on the inward half after a promising two-under run on the front none. He referenced the US Open-like conditions in gusting breezes, which appeals to his heavy-duty mindset.

“I’m sitting there thinking, ‘If the wind keeps up, it’s going to be tough.’ And it almost feels like we’re just trying to survive out there and feels like a US Open to a point,” Day said. “It’s going to be interesting to see where the scores are at the end of the day and kind of assess from there.

“It’s a very, very difficult golf course. With how the greens are, they’re drying out really nicely and they’re very quick. I mean, there’s not too many times where I’m standing on a golf course and you have to aim a putt for wind, which is just tells you how gusty it is in some parts, on some parts of the golf course. And then other parts when you’re kind of hidden, you don’t feel it at all. So, it’s really hard to commit to a lot of the golf shots out there and you’ve got to be very mentally strong to be able to do that.”

Day is one-over but eight-over on the second nine, a lopsided anomaly he hopes to correct in a hurry. To think he sat five-under – better than the current leading score – after just nine holes of this Masters is highly frustrating.

“I think I worked the front side out, which I’m seven‑under par now, and just got to tidy up the back side and right now it’s really difficult,” he said. “I’m trying to say to myself, ‘Just keep myself in it, just keep grinding out until it’s over.’ A three-, four-, five-shot lead can change in a hole or two. There’s not much that can get it going and you saw my back [nine] coming in yesterday, it can happen pretty quickly. So, just be patient, try to get some rest tonight and get back into it tomorrow. I know we’re going to have another day like this and if we do, I just need more patience.”

Diminutive Smith can walk tall after negotiating one of the toughest opening two rounds in a decade at the Masters.

Cam Smith and caddie Sam Pinfold discuss the options for Smith’s second shot to the 5th hole on Friday. PHOTO: David Cannon/Getty Images

“It was good, it was a bit of a grind out there again today. So to get in with three‑over was pretty good,” Smith said, crossing off his first goal for the week. “That’s the first thing you got to get rid of really, isn’t it, and then the next one is obviously doing well on the weekend. I feel like the game’s there and I just need a few more putts to drop, I think, and I will climb my way up the leaderboard.

“I need to get off to a better start tomorrow. I got off to have to a bit of a slow start again today. It's just so tough to make birdies. Once you’re over-par, it’s tough to get your way back.”

Two Aussies are packing their bags as three remain in Augusta. ‘Getting their way back’ is mathematically possible and now simply essential.