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Mickelson in Rare Masters Flop
McIlroy Survives Cut at Masters
Aussie Goss Extends Global Masters Amateur Run
Bubba Grabs Masters Lead
AUGUSTA, April 12, 2014 (AFP) - A magnificent run of five consecutive birdies on the back nine powered 2012 Masters champion Bubba Watson to a three-stroke lead after Friday's second round of the 78th Masters.
With a dazzling display of precision on one of golf's most intimidating layouts, the 35-year-old US left-hander fired a four-under par 68 to stand on seven-under 137 after 36 holes at Augusta National.
Watson beat Louis Oosthuizen in a playoff for the green jacket to claim his first major crown but had not won again until capturing the title at Riviera two months ago. Now he has made himself the man to beat this weekend.
"I felt really good," Watson said. "It's not science here. It's try to hit the greens and if you're hitting the greens that means you're obviously hitting your tee shots well. That's what I've done the last two days and it's worked out so far."
In Masters history, there has never been a longer birdie streak before the weekend than Watson's run and only five longer ones at any stage in the event.
"You're so focused on what you are doing, you are not really thinking you have just had three in a row, four in a row," Watson said.
"It's one of those things. Everyone has had that stretch before, playing with their buddies or playing in a tournament, so it's not that big a deal when we think about it.
"But at the Masters, it makes it a big deal."
Australian John Senden, who qualified only by winning in March at Tampa, was second on 140 after also shooting 68.
Defending champion Adam Scott, the first Aussie to win a green jacket, joined Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, Sweden's Jonas Blixt and American Jordan Spieth sharing third on 141.
Americans Fred Couples, Jimmy Walker and Jim Furyk shared seventh on 142.
Watson, who began the day one off the lead, birdied the seventh and made bogey at nine before launching his birdie run with a five-footer at the par-3 12th and followed with another from 10 feet at the par-5 13th.
Watson, ranked 12th, curled in a long putt with 15 feet of break over slopes at the 14th, owning a debt to playing partner Sergio Garcia.
"Sergio had a chip and had to go right over my coin, basically, and I watched his ball. He checked it up and then it went straight sideways about 15 feet, and he hit it about eight inches from the hole," Watson said.
"Having that putt from the same line, I knew where to aim it, knew kind of what the speed was. It was a lot different than what I was thinking, and then somehow it just went in.
"Without Sergio's chip, I probably would have three-putted it."
Watson followed with a chip to eight feet to set up a birdie at the par-5 15th and rolled his tee shot, a 9-iron from 176 yards, feet from the cup to set up a birdie at the par-3 16th.
A par at 17 ended the run and a bogey at 18 dropped Watson one stroke closer to the field but his earlier heroics made him the man to catch.
Watson wants to "stay level"
"I've been lucky enough to win here," Watson said. "Just got to keep my head down, same thing I've been doing the last two days, try to stay level, not too energized, not too excited."
Not since Tiger Woods ran off a Masters record-tying seven in a row starting at the seventh hole of the third round on his way to a 2005 title has there been a longer birdie run at Augusta National.
And not since David Toms made six in a row from the 12th in the last round in 1998 has there been such a streak on the back nine at the Masters.
Senden followed his lone bogey at the fourth with six birdies in the last 14 holes to grind into second.
Bjorn opened with two birdies and birdied four of the last five holes to fire a 68.
Scott opened with three bogeys in five holes but battled back with three birdies in four holes starting at the 12th to fire a 72.
Second-ranked Scott could join Jack Nicklaus, Woods and Nick Faldo as back-to-back Masters winners and would overtake injured world number one Woods atop the rankings with a two-way share of third this week.
"Anyone could make a move tomorrow with some great play," Scott said.
Spieth and Blixt were the leaders among 24 Masters newcomers who were trying to become the first rookies to win since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
Only 10 of them made the cut, including Aussie Oliver Goss, the only amateur into the weekend.
Only 51 of 97 starters reached the last two rounds, including expected title contenders Rory McIlroy and Jason Day on the number at four-over 148.
Two reigning major champions missed the cut -- British Open champion Phil Mickelson on 149 and 2013 PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner at 154.
Others finishing over the cut mark were Garcia, one-time Friday leader Marc Leishman of Australia and Ernie Els.
Mickelson in Rare Masters Flop
AUGUSTA, April 11, 2014 (AFP) - Phil Mickelson was heading home Friday after missing the cut at the Masters for the first time since 1997 and just the second time in 22 appearances since his 1991 debut.
That was the result of a 73 at Augusta National that was not enough to repair the damage done by his opening 76. At five over, the five-time major winner missed the cut by one stroke.
With Tiger Woods absent through injury it will mean that Masters weekend will unravel without either of the two players who have most marked it over the last two decades for the first time since 1994.
Mickelson -- who won his three Masters titles in 2004, 2006, and 2010 and who has 11 other top-10 finishes -- said he had not been troubled by the painful muscle in his side that disrupted his buildup to the year's first major.
"Physically I feel great. I haven't had any problems. I've been able to play healthy. I haven't had to think about it. But I'm not really sharp," the 43-year-old Californian said.
"Why couldn't I get it going? You know, I don't really have a great answer for you. I've actually played reasonably well for a majority of the holes and then the ones that I let slide I end up making a big number. So it's tough to overcome those big numbers."
A fatal blow to Mickelson's hopes was a triple-bogey six at the treacherous par-three 12th in the heart of Amen Corner, where he was three times in a bunker in a display that would resonate with many high handicappers.
"What happened at 12 was I hit in the front bunker. And there was no sand where I was at. I caught the liner of the bunker and bladed it across the green and the same thing happened on the other side.
"It went back and forth, three bunkers, before I finally got it to stay on grass."
Asked if he would continue to follow the tournament on television once he got back home, Mickelson replied: "Probably, yeah. It's an exciting tournament, I probably will. It's kind of my punishment."
It will be no consolation to the reigning British Open champion that he was in good company on five over, missing the cut by the narrowest of margins.
Also on the way out of Augusta National were four-time major champion Ernie Els, 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, 2012 US Open winner Webb Simpson and European Ryder Cup stalwarts Sergio Garcia and Luke Donald.
Donald makes 'stupid' move
Like Mickelson, Englishman Donald can point the finger of blame at the Augusta traps after he was hit with a two-stroke penalty on Thursday for swiping at the sand after failing to get out of a bunker.
"I can't remember the last time I didn't get out of a bunker. I've done it twice this week already. So I just carelesly swiped the sand," the former world number one said.
"As soon as I did it, I knew that probably wasn't the right thing to do. It was stupid on my part."
Garcia, who has never been a great fan of the Augusta National course, had looked reasonably well-placed after an opening round 74, but he could do no better on Friday and a bogey at the last turned out to be his undoing.
Other notables to miss the cut were major winners Zach Johnson, Graeme McDowell, Jason Dufner and Angel Cabrera, the Argentinian who lost to Adam Scott in a playoff last year.
McIlroy Survives Cut at Masters
AUGUSTA, April 12, 2014 (AFP) - Rory McIlroy needed a nervy five-footer to stay in the Masters on Friday after a frustrating second round, but his chances of winning a first green jacket were badly dented.
The 24-year-old from Northern Ireland had two double bogeys at the fourth and 10th to thank for him reaching the 18th needing a par to stay at four over, just inside the cut.
His approach looked good, but failed to take the slope back down to the hole, as an identical shot from Brandt Snedeker had done some 30 minutes earlier.
That left him with a delicate, curling 25-footer that he nudged to five feet before knocking in to make sure of making the weekend.
But in a tie for 46th and standing 11 strokes behind leader Bubba Watson, it will take a titanic effort from the former world number one on Saturday just to get back into contention.
"You know, I didn't know if it was going to be the 10-shot rule that was going to come into play," he said of the ruling that the top 50 players plus ties and all those within 10 strokes of the lead play at the weekend.
"So I didn't know what that putt on the last was, to make the cut. But when I got into the scoring area and saw that I was in 46th place, it was a bit of a sigh of relief that I'm here for the weekend."
There was frustration aplenty for McIlroy, who has had bad moments already in his young career over the unforgiving Georgia layout, notably in 2011 when he blew a four-shot lead in the final round.
On the tough par-three fourth, a wind switch overcooked his tee-shot and nearly clobbered defending champion Adam Scott, who was standing on the fifth tee.
His ball buried deep in a clunp of trees next to a fence and he was forced to return to the tee and restart, eventually limping off with a double-bogey five.
Then on the par-five 13th, his good-looking second landed plumb on a sprinkler head and bounded up high into the air into a spread of azalea bushes. Another bogey followed.
Frustrating day for McIlroy
"It was very frustrating," he said. "I just really couldn't get anything to go my way. I had a couple of really bad breaks on four and 13. Got a really massive wind switch on 4. And then hitting the sprinkler on 13 to go up into the azaleas.
At 11 back off the lead, McIlroy would next have to set Masters history if he is to win his third major on Sunday evening.
The biggest 36-hole deficit to be erased at Augusta National to win was eight strokes, which Jack Burke overcame with rounds of 75 and 71 to beat Ken Ventura by one in 1956.
Asked if he thought it would be possible, McIlroy sounded doubtful.
"I don't know. I mean I just want to go out there and try to get off to a fast start," he said.
"Eleven shots back with two rounds to play is going to be nearly impossible to make up. So I'm trying to shoot two really low rounds and see where that puts me at the end of the week."
Bizarrely, McIlroy, who was the last man to tee off on Friday, will be first for Saturday's third round, playing with a marker.
Aussie Goss Extends Global Masters Amateur Run
AUGUSTA, April 12, 2014 (AFP) - Australian Oliver Goss celebrated his last day as a teenager Friday by firing a one-under 71 to make the cut at the Masters and capture the low amateur's Silver Cup.
Goss opened with a 76 but battled back with a one-under 71 at Augusta National to make the cut on three-over 147 on the eve of his 20th birthday.
"That's the last thing I'm thinking about, 20th birthday tomorrow," Goss said. "I'm just absolutely excited to be playing on the weekend."
Goss finished 36 holes ahead of such players as Jason Day, Sergio Garica, Luke Donald, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Angel Cabrera and Jason Dufner.
"It does make me feel like I do belong out here possibly in the future, which is great for the confidence," Goss said.
By being the lone amateur to make the cut, Goss also clinched the Silver Cup as low amateur.
It's the fifth year in a row that a player from beyond the US border has taken the award.
The streak includes wins by 14-year-old Chinese schoolboy Guan Tianlang last year, Japan's Hideki Matusyama in 2011 and 2012 and Italy's Matteo Manassero in 2010.
Goss was aided this week by local caddie Brian Tam, who was Guan's bagman last year.
"He has been invaluable for me the whole week," Goss said.
Goss qualified for the Masters by finishing second in last year's US Amateur, losing the final 4 and 3 to Matthew Fitzpatrick, the first Englishman to win the event since 1911.
Fitpatrick, the low amateur at last year's British Open, also opened on 76 and fought down the final holes trying to reach the cut line but missed a 10-foot birdie putt at 18, to finish on 149, one over the number.
Goss, who was born in England but moved to Australia as a youth and now calls Perth home, is a sophomore at the University of Tennessee.
Goss birdied the par-5 second and eighth holes but ended the front nine with a bogey. He parred his way through Amen Corner and added a birdie at 14 that was offset by a bogey at 16. He closed with two pars to crack par at Augusta National.
"The last drive I knew I had to make par so I was just focusing on hitting it in the fairway. I just hit a great one," Goss said.
"I held it together through my scrambling a little bit the last two days. I'm holing a couple of good par putts and making a couple of good up-and-downs, so that's really good for the confidence."
Other amateurs to miss the cut included South Korean Lee Chang-Woo, the Asian Pacific Amateur Championship winner, Americans Jordan Niebrugge and Michael McCoy and England's Garrick Porteous, the reigning British Amateur champion.
Collated second round scores in the Masters at Augusta National on Friday
(USA unless stated, par 72, x-denotes amateur):
137 - Bubba Watson 69 68
140 - John Senden (AUS) 72 68
141 - Adam Scott (AUS) 69 72, Thomas Bjorn (DEN) 73 68, Jordan Spieth 71 70, Jonas Blixt (SWE) 70 71
142 - Jim Furyk 74 68, Jimmy Walker 70 72, Fred Couples 71 71
143 - Kevin Stadler 70 73, Stephen Gallacher (SCO) 71 72, Russell Henley 73 70, Jamie Donaldson (WAL) 73 70, Kevin Streelman 72 71
144 - Lucas Glover 75 69, Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 69 75, Matt Kuchar 73 71, Brandt Snedeker 70 74, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (ESP) 75 69, Lee Westwood (ENG) 73 71
145 - Steve Stricker 72 73, K J Choi (KOR) 70 75, Mike Weir (CAN) 73 72, Stewart Cink 73 72, Henrik Stenson (SWE) 73 72
146 - Brendon De Jonge 74 72, Bernhard Langer (GER) 72 74, Steven Bowditch (AUS) 74 72, Hunter Mahan 74 72, Vijay Singh (FIJ) 75 71, Bill Haas 68 78, Justin Rose (ENG) 76 70, Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN) 74 72, Ian Poulter (ENG) 76 70, Larry Mize 74 72, Rickie Fowler 71 75
147 - Chris Kirk 75 72, Francesco Molinari (ITA) 71 76, Nick Watney 72 75, Gary Woodland 70 77, Martin Kaymer (GER) 75 72, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 73 74, Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 71 76, Oliver Goss (Aus) 76 71, Billy Horschel 75 72
148 - Jose-Maria Olazabal (ESP) 74 74, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 71 77, Joost Luiten (NED) 75 73, Darren Clarke (NIR) 74 74, Sandy Lyle (SCO) 76 72, Jason Day (AUS) 75 73
The Following players did not make the cut.
149 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 73 76, Webb Simpson 74 75, Victor Dubuisson (FRA) 74 75, Phil Mickelson 76 73, Sang-moon Bae (KOR) 72 77, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 74 75, Marc Leishman (AUS) 70 79, Ernie Els (RSA) 75 74, Luke Donald (ENG) 79 70, (x) Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) 76 73, Ryan Moore 77 72
150 - D.A. Points 78 72, Zach Johnson 78 72, Graeme McDowell (NIR) 72 78, Ian Woosnam (WAL) 77 73, Harris English 74 76
151 - Dustin Johnson 77 74, Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 80 71, Ken Duke 75 76, John Huh 75 76
152 - Matteo Manassero (ITA) 71 81, Angel Cabrera (ARG) 78 74, David Lynn (ENG) 78 74, Graham Delaet (CAN) 80 72, Derek Ernst 76 76, Matthew Jones (AUS) 74 78, Mark O'Meara 75 77, Patrick Reed 73 79
153 - Keegan Bradley 75 78, Trevor Immelman (RSA) 79 74, Branden Grace (RSA) 84
69, Chang-woo Lee (KOR) 80 73
154 - Jason Dufner 80 74, Roberto Castro 74 80, Y.E. Yang (KOR) 77 77
155 - Scott Stallings 75 80, Matthew Every 77 78, Jordan Niebrugge 81 74
156 - Boo Weekley 73 83, (x) Garrick Porteous (ENG) 76 80
157 - Tim Clark (RSA) 79 78
159 - Peter Hanson (SWE) 78 81, Tom Watson 78 81, Craig Stadler 82 77
161 - Michael McCoy 78 83
168 - Ben Crenshaw 83 85