2014 Masters: Bubba bursts into the lead as big names miss cut

Bubba bursts through, Senden surprises, Scott stays patient and plenty of big names miss the cut.

Bubba Watson was the only golf to go bogey-free in round one and while his second round score card wasn’t quite as clean, the 2012 Masters champion fired a 4-under par 68 to have a three stroke lead going into the weekend.

Watson’s round included five straight birdies through holes 12 – 16 and is sitting in a strong position to take his second green jacket.

“It’s one of those where you’re not focused on what you’re doing, you don’t know that you’re making all these birdies, you’re focused on one shot at a time.” Watson said. “So for me, yeah, you’re nervous and that’s why I’m keeping my head down, just to stay focused on what I’m doing, not look at leaderboards, just play golf.”

John Senden surprised many with a fighting 4-under-par 68 to not only be the leading Australian but sits in sole possession of second place and will play with Watson in Saturday’s final pairing. Senden bogeyed the first and fourth holes before playing the final 14 holes in 6-under-par.

“I’ve been here four or five times now and learned where to go and where not to go.” Senden said after his round. “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.”

Adam Scott is still very much in the golf tournament despite looking like his chances of going back-to-back were slipping away during his opening nine holes. Bogeys at the first, fourth and fifth holes had the defending champion battling to stay within reach of the leaders.

Scott steadied on the back nine with three birdies and got himself back to 3-under for the tournament along with Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn, Sweden’s Johan Blixt and young American Jordan Spieth.

The Aussies
The absolute feel good story of The Masters for Australia so far is the performance of young amatuer Oliver Goss. Goss is the sole amateur to have made the cut this week and will become the first Australian to ever to take leading amateur honours. Goss turns 20-years-old tomorrow and will have one of the best birthday’s of his life.

Marc Leishman birdied his opening three holes to get to 5-under-par before imploding with six bogeys and two double-bogeys to drop 10 strokes in 12 holes to miss the cut. Matt Jones couldn’t find a birdie on Friday and will be leaving Augusta a better golfer for his experience.

Jason Day only just managed to make the cut despite a wild round featuring birdies, bogeys and double-bogeys – and Steven Bowditch is quietly carving out a great week for himself at Augusta sitting at 2-over the card.

The old guys
Six golfers over the age of 50 have made the cut at this year’s Masters. Not surprisingly, 54-year-old Fred Couples leads the charge at 2-under-par through two rounds.

“Can I win it? Yeah. That’s why I’m here.” said Couples. “Come over here tomorrow night and if I play well, which I haven’t the last couple of years, you know, then I’ll answer that question again.”

Five of the six 50+ year old’s are former Masters champions and include Larry Mize, Vijay Singh, Bernard Langer and Sandy Lyle. Spain’s Miguel Ángel Jiménez is the only golfer of the six who hasn’t won a green jacket.

Big names gone
While Rory McIlroy and Jason Day squeezed just a shot inside the cut line there are some big names that will be missing from the fairways of Augusta National this weekend.

Phil Mickelson had a rough few days and will be joined at Rancho Relaxo by Jason Dufner, Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel, both Zach and Dustin Johnson, Angel Cabrera and Luke Donald.

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