Masters 2012 Leaderboard: Former Front-Runners Who Have Slipped Too Far

Golf is a funny game. One day you're on top of the world, the next you look like an amateur. When the best golfers in the world start having nightmares of playing at Augusta, while playing at Augusta, that's when you know golf is one of those really difficult sports.

Three golfers in particular were playing well headed into the 2012 Masters, but are far behind the leaders through the second round.

Here's a look at three former front-runners who have not played like front-runners.

3. Luke Donald

Luke Donald was the No. 1 golfer in the world headed into Augusta this year, but there was just one problem: Donald is always ranked highly, yet he has never won a major championship in his career. 

Through two rounds of play, Donald is at four-over-par, nine strokes behind leaders Jason Dufner and Fred Couples. The good news is, he played better on Friday. The bad news is, he still shot a one over par on the day.

It's looking like Donald will go another major without winning one. At 34 years of age, he's running out of time.

2. Keegan Bradley

Keegan Bradley wasn't a favorite headed into the Masters, but he was a front-runner based on his play the past two years.

Bradley, after all, won the PGA Championship in his first career attempt last year en route to being named 2011 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. He also had placed 22nd or better in all nine PGA Tour events, including a second-place finish at the Northern Trust Open and a fourth-place finish at the Houston Open.

Then, well, the second round at Augusta came. After scoring a one-under-par 71 on Thursday, Bradley blew up on Friday...in a bad way. Bradley shot a five-over-par and is now nine strokes back from the leaders.

What a difference a day makes.

1. Tiger Woods

Oh, Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, what has become of you?

Finding the Tiger of yore is a lot like finding Waldo these days: Every once in a while you see him, but most of the time you are searching.

After winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational two weeks ago, Tiger was supposed to have his swagger back, which had been lacking for the past two years.

But Tiger does not have his swagger back at the Masters. After scoring an even par in the first round, Woods shot a three over par in the second round on Friday, and his score doesn't even reflect how bad he looked.

Woods was all over the place on Friday, looking more like an amateur than a 14-time major champion, and he also decided to punt his club on the 16th for good measure. Woods scored five bogeys on the day, and there appears to be no end in sight. His mind is shot.

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