Masters 2012: Everything You Need to Know About Day 2
Day two of the 2012 Masters didn't disappoint.
While the first-round leaderboard was filled with names most casual fans wouldn't recognize, the second round told a different story.
| Player | To Par | Today | Total |
| T1. Jason Dufner | -5 | -2 | 139 |
| T1. Fred Couples | -5 | -5 | 139 |
| T3. Sergio Garcia | -4 | -4 | 140 |
| T3. Lee Westwood | -4 | +1 | 140 |
| T3. Bubba Watson | -4 | -1 | 140 |
| T3. Rory McIlroy | -4 | -3 | 140 |
| T3. Louis Oosthuizen | -4 | E | 140 |
| T8. Paul Lawrie | -3 | E | 141 |
| T8. Henrik Stenson | -3 | -2 | 141 |
| T8. Miguel Jimenez | -3 | E | 141 |
| T11. Phil Mickelson | -2 | -4 | 142 |
Still, we're only halfway through this four-day event, and there will certainly be many surprises upcoming.
Here's everything you need to know about the action today at Augusta National Golf Club.
Boom Boom Is Back, and He's Better Than Ever
1 of 4Fred Couples, at the ripe old age of 52, is leading the 2012 Masters heading into the weekend.
I don't think he's going to fade out, either.
Throughout his long, productive career, Couples has finished in the top 10 at Augusta 11 times, winning the tournament once.
It was only two years ago that he finished in sixth place.
Couples loves to play at Augusta. He has recently said as much.
"I want to be competitive and I feel like I’m very competitive, Couples said. This is my favorite place in the world to play. I know every inch of the course. If you have that, you’re going to save shots.
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He will be in the hunt at the end—of that I'm certain.
Jason Dufner Is Having the Tournament of His Life
2 of 4Jason who?
Dufner turned pro in 2000, and he has never won on the PGA tour. His only two wins as a professional came on the Nationwide Tour.
He enters the weekend atop the leaderboard—having shot five-under through two rounds. It will be fun to watch him throughout the weekend to see if he can keep up the stellar play or crumble under the immense pressure.
I wish him well. It must be quite a thrill to compete this well in a tournament of this magnitude against the best players in the world.
Tiger Woods Needs to Go Back to the Drawing Board
3 of 4Tiger Woods currently sits at plus-three, eight shots behind the leaders.
After winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational a couple of weeks ago, Woods was considered by most—certainly by Vegas—to be the favorite to win the Masters this year.
Unless Tiger figures out how to fix his abominable duck-hook tee shot before he comes out tomorrow, he won't come close to sniffing his fifth Green Jacket.
Woods needs to go back to the drawing board after this miserable showing.
Instead of moving forward with his progression, he's reverted back to some old, bad habits that have him scrambling to try and figure out what he can do to fix them.
Woods spoke to reporters about his swing, via USA Today:
"Old patterns, some of my old stuff from a few years ago (cropped into his swing). I've had to try and kind of work through it, and every now and again, it pops up, and today, it popped up a little bit.
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That was after his first round...imagine how he must feel after spraying the ball all over the course today.
Tiger isn't going to take this lying down. You know this disappointing showing will only push him harder to become the best player in the world once more.
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There Are Plenty of Heavy Hitters Within Striking Distance
4 of 4There are currently 30 golfers within five strokes of the lead.
It's getting crowded up at the top.
This should make for some fantastic viewing, though. Every man playing in this tournament is a highly competitive athlete with an extreme distaste for losing.
Many of them are familiar to your ears.
Lee Westwood, Bubba Watson, Rory McIlroy and Louis Oosthuizen are all within one stroke of the lead.
Paul Lawrie and Miguel Jimenez are only two shots back.
Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh are both sitting pretty—only three shots behind the leaders.
This kind of competition heading into the weekend should make for some impressive television ratings.
I know I'll be watching.
Stay tuned and thank you for making Bleacher Report your source for all the latest breaking news, analysis and highlights of the 2012 Masters.
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