Players Championship 2012: Second-Round Predictions for Early Leaders

Despite their solid first-round scores at the Players Championship, don't expect to see Ian Poulter, Martin Laird and Blake Adams atop the leaderboard on Friday night. 

It's just the nature of the Sawgrass beast. 

Now, a look back at the past winners of TPC would definitely point to someone like Poulter, Laird or another non-star coming out on top, but it's too tough to put together four straight solid rounds.

Especially with hole No. 17, aka the "Island Green," lurking.

On Thursday, 18 golfers found the water on No. 17,  including world No. 1, Rory McIlroy, who finished with a double bogey. Anyone is susceptible and it will likely ruin a round.

What I'm getting at is, don't expect the leaders to stay the leaders. This course tends to change the leaderboard quite a bit.

Here's a closer look at predictions for Poulter, Martin and Laird after their impressive opening rounds. 

Ian Poulter

Of the top three, Poulter, who sits at seven-under, is easily the best. He's ranked No. 27 in the world and has finished in the top 10 in his last three tournaments.

That includes a seventh-place finish at the Masters in April.

If any of these three golfers is going to stay atop the leaderboard, it will be Poulter, who has the driving accuracy (66 percent) to stay out of trouble. 

Poulter knocked in an amazing eight birdies on Thursday despite an average driving distance of just 289.5 yards.

Expect the notoriously average putter to take a small step back on Friday after needing just 26 putts in Round 1.

Round 2 Prediction: (-2)

Martin Laird

The world No. 39 was one of the last golfers to close out his round on Thursday, and did it in style, getting birdies on two of his last three holes to tie Poulter in the clubhouse.

Nonetheless, don't expect this type success to continue for Laird, who has missed the cut in two of his last five tournaments.

Much like Poulter, Laird didn't blow anyone away with his driving distance, but gained 4.291 strokes with his putting (fourth best).

Unfortunately for the Scottsman, that's not something he usually does.

On the season, Laird is just 119th overall in strokes gained from putting and is 139th in total putting. 

Round 2 Prediction: (E)

Blake Adams

The American is ranked No. 239 in the world, but still managed to put up a six-under round on Thursday and sits in third place all by himself.

For Adams to be in this position is simply amazing, especially when you consider he has missed the last two cuts, four of the last six and eight of 14 on the season.

He's been cut more than he's made the cut. And now he's in third place in arguably the most prestigious non-Masters tournament.

Let that little piece of information sink in.

Adams was able to put together an impressive round by virtue of driving accuracy (tied for fourth) and putting (first). Of course, he ranks 65th and 48th in those categories on the season, so another round like Thursday is unexpected.

His accurate, non-sexy game works well on this course, just don't be surprised when you see a step back on Friday.

Round 2 Prediction (+1)

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