Masters 2015: Live Updates for Leaderboard Scores on Friday
The Friday action at the 2015 Masters Tournament continues at Augusta National Golf Club. It's a crucial day around the grounds as the race atop the leaderboard heats up and the battle to make the cut takes center stage.
Perhaps the biggest question throughout the afternoon and into the weekend is how the scoring conditions will change. The course has allowed players to go quite low so far. The Weather Channel forecasts hot and mostly dry conditions, though, which could make things more tricky.
With that in mind, let's check out how the leaderboard is shaping up right now as the final groups get prepared to tee off. It's followed by a trio of players worth keeping a close eye on during the remaining portion of Round 2.
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2015 Masters Live Leaderboard
Afternoon Starters to Watch
Paul Casey (three under; 1:26 p.m.)
Casey proved why he was an intriguing sleeper coming into the week with a solid opening round. It built off a ninth-place finish in the Shell Houston Open last week, in which he cracked 70 in three of the four rounds.
He does have some success at Augusta under his belt, though not recently. His best run came in a six-year stretch starting in 2004, when he finished in the top 20 four times. So when his game is clicking, he definitely has a good feel for the course.
The other good news is starting well significantly increases his chances this week. The Masters hasn't been a tournament for late charges over the past decade. Mike McAllister of PGATour.com passed along the details:
Now the question is whether he can back up the round with another strong one to keep him in contention. He's always been a little inconsistent, and this season is no different with three top 10s and three missed cuts. He must avoid a drop-off to keep pace.
Phil Mickelson (two under; 1:48 p.m.)
Mickelson isn't off to the best start in 2015. He failed to finish inside the top 15 in any of his first seven events and missed a pair of cuts. Yet, much like Tiger Woods, his past success at the Masters makes him impossible to ignore at Augusta.
The first round was pretty much exactly what everyone has come to expect from "Lefty." A handful of birdies, some bogeys and enough good shots to keep him in the mix. He's always going to take his fair share of chances. When they pay off, he's contending on Sunday.
Of his five major championships, three came on this course. He's also ended up in the top 10 an astonishing 14 times. ESPN Stats & Info provided another stat to showcase how well his game fits at the iconic Augusta:
His form this season would suggest it will be difficult for him to keep pace. On the flip side, his Masters track record makes it impossible to totally count him out. Perhaps the picture will become clearer when the dust settles after Round 2.
Rory McIlroy (one under; 1:48 p.m.)
McIlroy garnered a lot of hype coming into the tournament, and for good reason. He captured the final two majors of 2014, the Open Championship and the PGA Championship. Winning this week and at the U.S. Open would give him the "Rory Slam."
He didn't get off to an ideal start. The good news is he played well enough to remain within striking distance if he can find a groove starting today. Mark Lamport-Stokes of Reuters passed along comments from the world's top-ranked golfer about his opening round.
"I just kept telling myself to be patient out there today," McIlroy said. "It was a tricky day. The wind was swirling a little bit. Pin positions were tough. Anything under par I felt was a pretty good score."
A green jacket is the only thing missing from McIlroy's major career. Based on his elite talent, you have to figure it's going to come eventually. In order for it to happen this year, however, he needs to start making his move on Friday.
He doesn't need to go super low, especially if conditions do get more difficult heading into the weekend. But he'll want to pick up a couple of strokes on the leaders to give himself a chance. He's a good bet to do exactly that.
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