2015 Masters Leaderboard: Real-Time Updates for Augusta's Leaders on Saturday
It's Jordan Spieth's world, and we're just golfing in it.
The 21-year-old phenom is absolutely tearing up Augusta National, and he's increased his Masters lead to five strokes entering the weekend. His blemish-free 66 in Round 2 was a sight to behold, as he didn't allow the pressure of leading a major tournament get to him and played a surgical 18 holes of golf.
Barring any kind of meltdown—which seems highly unlikely at this point—the Masters is Spieth's to win. He could, however, see some challengers rise from the pack on moving day.
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Charley Hoffman is playing some great golf in his second Masters appearance, shooting a 68 and 67 on Thursday and Friday, respectively.
Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson set a new tournament record on Friday, recording three eagles in one round to move him to seven under through 36 holes. Three-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson is also well in the mix at six under, and we've seen him produce some weekend magic in the past.
So, while the tournament's leaders continue jockeying for position, let's take a look at the updated Masters leaderboard and highlight a few storylines to watch for Saturday.
Updated Leaderboard
Saturday Storylines to Watch
Weather Favoring the Leaders?
At this time of year, the elements generally come into play at some point. The first two rounds at Augusta National remained dry despite previous ominous forecasts; however, the luck appears to be running out heading into Saturday's action.
According to Weather.com, Saturday will feature a high of 81 degrees, but there is a 60 percent chance of rain showers in the morning. That's not good news for players looking to climb up the leaderboard and get into contention for Sunday's final round; however, it's great news for leaders who tee off later in the day.
Spieth and Co. will get optimal scoring conditions once again, as the rain is expected to taper off before they tee off, leaving a damp Augusta National that will be ripe for some low numbers due to soft greens that will allow players to take dead aim at practically any pin position.
We could see a larger gap between the leaders and the rest of the field following the completion of 54 holes.
Jordan Spieth's Record Pace
After a blistering 64 in Round 1, Spieth recorded a 66 in Round 2 to move to 14 under for the tournament, setting a new 36-hole record in the process. While that's certainly impressive, he's in line to set a couple more records before the tournament's conclusion.
In 1997, Tiger Woods became the youngest Masters winner at 21 years, 104 days old—Spieth is just slightly older. Woods set records for the biggest winning margin at 12 strokes and the lowest winning score at 18-under par that year. Spieth needs to gain just five more strokes to beat Woods' low score, and depending on what his challengers do over the weekend, he may have a shot at Woods' winning margin as well.
Spieth is remaining mature and confident at Augusta, keeping his eye on the ultimate prize of winning a major instead of falling into the trap of trying to make a run at history. He spoke of his mentality during a press conference, via Bill Pennington of The New York Times:
"What I learned last year is that the weekend of a major, those rounds can often seem like two rounds in one day. It's all the kinds of mental stuff that’s running through your head—the overall stress level.
The hardest thing to do is put aside wanting to win so bad, and just kind of let yourself go through the motion—letting the ball-striking and putting happen. I have to be very patient and understand that this weekend is going to feel like a whole other tournament.
"
That's the kind of focus that wins major championships.
Tiger Woods' Resurgence
Before the Masters, many fans and analysts thought Woods' career might be over. After all, the former world No. 1 was dealing with injuries, swing adjustments and even the dreaded yips around the green. He looked like a shadow of his former self and wasn't exactly expected to take Augusta by storm.
Things began in a rather pedestrian manner for Woods, as he recorded an opening round of one-over 73; however, that appeared to give him just enough confidence in his game to make strides in Round 2, and he delivered a three-under 69 as a result, putting him at two under for the tournament.
While Woods is still well off the lead, we've seen stranger things happen at Augusta National in the past—Greg Norman's epic collapse in 1996 immediately comes to mind. Regardless, if Woods flashes his old magic or simply continues his current pace over the weekend, he's proved he can't be counted out of contending on the PGA Tour just yet.
Mark O'Meara, a long-time friend of Woods, shared his thoughts on what he saw early in the tournament and his expectations on the future during a press conference, via Mike McAllister of PGATour.com:
"He seems like he's in a really good place mentally and physically. I see more of the old Tiger Woods in my opinion. His pitching Monday and Tuesday, I didn't see any inclination of a guy that's struggling around the greens. What was going on before, I'm not sure.
But he certainly looks like he's on the way back.
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Woods certainly doesn't look like a player who either withdrew or missed the cut in six of his previous nine tour appearances.
He may not quite be ready to contend for a major just yet, but if he keeps building momentum throughout the final 36 holes at Augusta, who's to say he won't be ready to claim his fourth U.S. Open title in June? Saturday is Woods' next step in his comeback bid.
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