BY BRENDAN JAMES at Augusta National GC

Five Australians remain in the hunt for a Masters Green Jacket, with Queenslanders John Senden and Adam Scott leading the way. Here is how the Aussies fared on day two at Augusta National and what they had to say:

JOHN SENDEN (72-68–140; 2ND)

Through 36 holes of the 2013 Masters, John Senden was almost the forgotten member of the Australian juggernaut dominating the leaderboard. He’d posted a two under 70 in the second round to be 13th heading into the weekend.

But with Jason Day leading and Adam Scott as well as Marc Leishman vying for the lead, ‘Sendo’ was almost overlooked.

Heading into this weekend he is two shots better than last year and he’s playing in the final pairing on Saturday with halfway leader Bubba Watson, which excites him.

John Senden and caddie Josh Cassell discuss yardages during the second round. PHOTO: Getty Images

“I'm excited to keep doing what I've been doing, playing good golf,” he said.

“And if I keep believing in myself and enjoying it, that's the difference when you're under the pressure, if you can keep a smile on your face because there's plenty of ups and downs on this golf course.

“With the golf course drying out, I think that if I just get out there and just play my game, I just want to get out there and do my best, and that's good enough. That will be great.”

There were several times during his second round where bogies threatened to derail Senden’s bid for a Green Jacket. But he persevered and made some good putts, especially on the back nine, to advance up the leaderboard when many were heading in the other direction.

“I think this golf course is more about having the confidence to take the shots, but also about accepting it, as well,” he said.

“I've been here four or five times now and learned where to go and where not to go. But you can't not try not to go there. You just have to accept where the ball does end up and play the best shot that you can.

“You have to be smart if you're not in position, because the secret of this course, I think, is to take the opportunities for birdies, but it's more likely keeping the big numbers off the card. That kind of puts you straight out of contention and if you can do that well you have a chance.”

ADAM SCOTT (69-72–141; T3)

The defending champion had the kind of start to his second round that he would probably prefer to forget.

The opening hole at Augusta National, a 445-yard slight dogleg right, proved a stumbling block for him again as made a bogey. In 46 Masters rounds, Scott is a remarkable 19 over on the 1st hole alone. He’s only birdied it twice in 13 trips to Augusta – in the first round last year and again in the opening round on Thursday.

The opening bogey was followed by two more at the 4th and 5th holes. Within the space of an hour of his second round he had slipped off the first page of the leaderboard.

Adam Scott fires his approach into the 13th to set up the first of two back nine birdies. PHOTO: Getty Images

But you cannot deny the fighting qualities of the World No.2. He steadied the ship with six consecutive pars. Then, on the short par-3 12th where he dunked his ball into Rae’s Creek in the first round, he smoothed an 8-iron into 2-foot from the hole.

He turned to caddie Steve Williams and said: “That was the one.”

His ball-striking seemed to lift a cog from there as approach shots flew straight at the flag, which was a real achievement given the windy conditions.

He made further birdies at the 13th and 15th to square his ledger for the day back where he started at three under.

“There's no way guys were playing flawless tee to green, it was so difficult,” Scott said.

“The greens were getting so firm in the afternoon that it was, if you were out of position, it was almost impossible to hold greens. You needed to be right in the fairway and hopefully with a wedge. The greens are very firm now.

“When the greens are like this you have to be very precise whether its with your putting or your iron play. It’s going to be demanding weekend if we continue to have this nice dry weather.”

That said, he still thinks any player who made the cut has a chance of winning.

“I still think if you're playing, you’ve got a chance,” he said. “It all depends how firm and how tricky the pin spots are tomorrow.

“It also certainly depends on how Bubba plays and a couple other guys up the top play.  If they move in the right direction, then it's going to get away from some guys.

“Tomorrow's round is extremely important for me. It's going to have to be maybe the best round of the week.”

STEVEN BOWDITCH (74-72–146; T26)

When Steven Bowditch won the Valero Texas Open two weeks ago people marveled at his short game under pressure. It has been on show again here at Augusta National.

Through 36 holes, he’s only had one three-putt and, when you consider this is his first Masters start and the greens are such a tough examination, that is an outstanding result.

His putting and chipping has him playing this weekend and with a chance tomorrow of creeping close to the leaders.

“I didn’t play that good today, but my short game was really good,” the 30-year-old Queenslander said.

“I holed some nice putts from six, eight and 10 feet, some nice birdie putts, then a great save on 10 and another on 14, so all in all it was a bit scrappy.

“But It’s just one of those golf courses. If you can keep scratching around par and your short game’s good, you can hang on and get some opportunities.

Oliver Goss was the only amateur to make the Masters cut and will take low amateur honours on Sunday. PHOTO: Getty Images

“I’m not really in the mix, but there’s a lot of opportunities out here if you can keep away from those big scores, you could shoot (up to) six under.

“It’s out there, it’s a major. Who knows what’s going to happen?”

OLIVER GOSS (76-71–147; T37)

The West Australian will tee off in third round of the Masters on his 20th birthday. And what better present could he get than the low amateur medal at the Masters, which he will receive in Butler Cabin at the conclusion of the tournament.

Of the six amateurs competing here in Augusta, Goss was the only one to make the 36-hole cut, with his three birdie, two bogey second round of 71 by far the best of those playing for pride and not prizemoney this week.

Goss’ ball-striking in trying conditions was superb, but it was his short game that was impressive. He already possesses a world-class short game and it proved to be one of his greatest assets on a day when seasoned Augusta campaigners struggled for pars.

But the level-headed young man doesn’t want to think about his birthday just yet.

“That's the last thing I'm thinking about … my 20th birthday,” he said. “I'm just absolutely excited to be playing on the weekend.”

One thing that had certainly helped his Augusta National education is having club caddie, Brian Tam on his bag.

“He's helped me a lot,” Goss said. “He's been here about 10 years now, so he's got a really good grasp of the greens.

“When I came down before the Tournament practicing, he gave me some really good reads and that's the reason I chose him. So he's been invaluable for me the whole week.”

Goss said he already has a feeling that his game is well-suited to the course which gives him a sense of belonging at Augusta.

“Yesterday I played pretty average and I managed to be in 67th spot or something,” he said. “I think Phil Mickelson shot 4‑over and Ernie shot 3‑over. “I think Branden Grace shot 84 or something. So it does make me feel like I do belong out here possibly in the future, which is great for the confidence.”

JASON DAY (75-73–148; T46)

The World No.4 made the cut right on the number, despite throwing in two bogies in his final four holes of the second round.

The Queenslander’s Masters campaign took a massive hit over the course of four holes midway through his first round, where he dropped five shots between the 8th and 11th holes. He has never really recovered from that setback.

As he did in the opening round, he birdied the par-5 2nd but followed that with a double bogey at the 3rd, and again it was his putter than hurt him most. Having missed the green from a fairway bunker, he tried to putt from off the green but failed to reach the putting surface. He took a further three putts to get down from about 15 feet.

Jason Day's putting has been a problem during the first two rounds. PHOTO: Getty Images

“I think my ball striking is not too bad, I've had two 4‑putts and a 3‑putt out there, so that definitely hurts the scorecard,” Day said. “Just speed issues really for me on the greens.

“I feel good, but it's just hard to really judge the speed when you're leaving yourself in some pretty ugly spots on the greens.

“So I just got to kind of relax. I've been putting since last Thursday, so obviously that's not helping. I'm going to just go back in and relax and see how it goes from there.”

Day doesn’t rule himself out from still contending in this Masters, despite being 11 shots behind leader Bubba Watson.

“If I have a good round, then I'm straight back into the tournament,” he said.

“Obviously tomorrow's a big day and it just really depends on how they set the golf course up, if you can attack or not.”

MARC LEISHMAN (70-79–149; MISSED CUT)

Having opened his 2014 Masters campaign with a two under 70, Leishman was well poised to move up the leaderboard on day 2.

And he did just that, by making birdies at each of the first three holes to move to five under, which gave him a two-stroke lead. But bogies at the 4th, 5th and 7th holes followed by a double bogey at the 9th had him in free-fall down the leaderboard.

The pain wasn’t over for the Victorian either. He dropped another five shots on the back nine for a disastrous inward 41. In the space of 15 holes Leishman had tumbled from the tournament lead to missing the cut at five over.

Marc Leishman was the first player to reach five under but went into free fall from there to miss the cut. PHOTO: Getty Images

To his credit, he still fronted he media after his round to explain what had occurred.

“Obviously got off to a good start. And actually hit quite a few good shots throughout the day, just the wind caught me on a lot of holes,” he said.

“I made a few little mistakes here on the greens. It cost me a double bogey. Yeah, it's that type of course when it's calm, but when there's a wind like this it's really tough, as I said, and it proved it today.”

Despite things going against him, Leishman said he never lost hope of turning things around.

“I never gave up,” he said. “You never know, I could have birdied the last three holes, four holes and got right back to even par and been right in it. Obviously I didn't do that. I shot 41 on the back nine but I'm not a person to give up.”

Leishman didn’t want to make any excuses but he agreed the blustery wind had made the course play harder than he had ever accounted in his two visits to Augusta.

“This is as tough as I've seen it,” he said. “Saturday last year it was firm and fast, but there was no wind. I think the wind around here is just brutal because one minute it will be behind you and the next minute it's into you. And then there's none.

“It's just hard to hit shots when you don't know where the wind is. It's hard to commit to it. You have to at some stage, so that's the hardest thing about it.”

When asked how he would assess his week, Leishman said: “Crap, pretty much.”

“Although yesterday was a good day, the first few holes, and then after that … obviously disappointing to finish the way I did,” he added.

MATT JONES (74-78–152; MISSED CUT)

After all the excitement of breaking through for his first PGA Tour win at last weekend’s Houston Open, it appeared Matt Jones just ran out of petrol at Augusta. The deeper he got into the tournament the less likely it was he was going to make the weekend.

His assessment was frank: “I’m knackered.”

Even though he missed the cut, Matt Jones is going to hang around Augusta for the weekend to have a few beers and relax. PHOTO: Getty Images

His second round 78 ensured his first Masters experience would be a missed but he says he has learned a lot and will be “better prepared next year as hopefully I’ll be able to come out and prepare better before the tournament.”

Jones, who is now ranked No.42 in the world, has his wife, two kids, mum, dad, coach and a few friends with him in Augusta so there were no plans to skip town despite the missed cut.

He plans to walk outside the ropes, relax and have a few beers as he watches the final two rounds.

When he does leave Augusta, Jones won’t be empty-handed. He has a nice collection of crystal to take with him courtesy of a hole-in-one in the Par-3 Tournament and an eagle on the 13th hole in the first round.