Making the Cut

What an entertaining day that was. Friday at the Masters is often full of excitement, but anguish too, as there has to be a cutline and there are always going to be 30 or 40 golfers who don't make it, and almost always 4 or 5 big name surprises. This year was no different with the Cut at +4 and notable big names like Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka, Gary Woodland, Justin Rose and Xander Schauffele packing their bags early and postponing any Green jacket donning dreams for at least one more year.

It will be the most primary of targets for every golfer taking to the tee this week, make sure to make the cut, as obviously if you're not there on Saturday or Sunday to shoot that record breaking 62 at Augusta, then you aint going to win diddly squat. After that guys can target top 10, top 20, wins and everything in between, but you've cut to make the cut and hope that your game holds up under the immense pressure of Augusta National Golf club.

Augusta well and truly showed its teeth yesterday with the wind blowing strongly and the greens firming up. The early and late morning players got the worst of it and as the day wore on the wind died down a little bit and some players like Scottie Scheffler were able to post impressive scores. Ireland's favorite son who won a major championship in windy and blustery conditions at the Open a few years back. I was lucky enough to be at that one, but I won't be there to shout him on this year, as tickets for the Masters are like hens teeth. I reckon my only chance of ever getting there is for one of my three son's to become a professional golfer and make it into the world's top fifty. I would say that's more likely than getting any tickets out of the patrons draw that I enter every year!

Cam Smith - Chink in the armour

I was waxing lyrical yesterday about the Australian youngster and his putting prowess. He is human after all though and like all of the players, he was affected by the high winds, but the major disappointment was his putting and he missed a few short ones, which is very unlike him. That is why he is lagging back down the leaderboard in a tie for sixth. He is by no means out of it, but everyone with hopes of a green jacket need to hope that the world's number one golfer has an off day today.

Scottie Scheffler - Just Wow

Speaking of the world number one, Scottie showed us exactly why yesterday with a nonchalantly brilliant round yesterday. He strolled around Augusta National yesterday chatting and laughing with his Caddie is if it was a game of skins between a couple of friends. The golf is just flowing through him at the moment and he has reached a state where things come to him naturally, while others have to look for them. The game of golf is far from easy on any golf course, let alone Augusta, but Scottie is making it look easy and at this moment, if he keeps playing with that freedom of expression and relaxed temperament, he may well add his first major title a few short weeks after adding his first , second and third PGA titles. He is simply on fire and it's enjoyable to watch, but for the sake of myself and the millions of others watching, I hope he has a wobble and the Masters title is in the balance come Sunday evening.

Shane Lowry - Master in the wind

When the wind blows on a golf course, there are few players more capable of dealing with it than our very own Shane Lowry. He is one of the most likable players on the tour according to many, and I am not just saying that because he is Irish. He just carries himself in a very unassuming and modest way and always makes time for fans and comes across as very down to earth in his interviews. I will never forget following him around Portrush in 2019 when he won the Open Championship.

Yesterday Shane put together a fantastic round of golf including a sensational chip in on the 10th hole, where he found himself blind sided and no green to work with. To get it within ten feet would have been achievement, but the Offaly man threw the ball high in the air and landed it on a sixpence to roll in majestically for a birdie 3, making him part of a very very small club to birdie 10 yesterday. He finds himself in a tie for second and everyone in Ireland will be rooting for him in the next few days.

@Ablaze's Five tipped players

I tipped the players below for the green jacket this week. Let's see how my tips have faired out after 2 rounds around Augusta. Did all five make the cut? Are any of the guys in contention? Keep on reading to find out.

Jon Rahm

John has not completely blown his chances, but sitting 10 shots adrift leaves him with a hell of a lot to do, if he is to contend here. Like many he needs a round in the mid 60s today and hope that one Scottie Sheffler does not extend his lead any further, in fact he really needs Scottie to shoot 72 or worse and stranger things have happened. How will Scottie react to a 5 shot lead at Augusta? We have seen the wheels come off with players before, think Rory in 2012.

At this stage, I believe Jon will fight back a bit but realistically the best he will do is a top 5 finish.

Current Place: 23rd

Cameron Smith

Cam crashed back down to earth with a disappointing round of 74, but there were plenty of worse scores on display and he is still in 6th place and can launch an assaults from there. We saw his potential on the 2nd through 17th holes in round one and if he can find that again, a low round is there for him and he may well be the man to challenge Scottie at the summit.

Current Place: 6th

Collin Morikawa

While players all around him were giving shots back to Augusta, Collin was taking them. There were only a couple of players to play better than him and his resolute round of 70 means that he has given himself a chance going into Saturday. Can he find a low round, perhaps not, but I am sure he will get under par and set himself up for a top ten finish.

Current Place: 10th

Xander Schauffele

It was unlikely that my five tips would all make the Cut, and like last year when Berger missed out, this year I again have 4 out of 5 making the Cut. Xander battled all day with the weather and it was not any one hole that blew his chances, but rather the 6 bogeys he accumulated. There are plenty of players that have made the cut with a lot more bogeys than six in total. The reason Xander is going home is that he only found one birdie in 36 holes to counter balance those bogeys, he missed the cut by a single shot and can thank Scottie for knocking him out, as had Scottie only gotten to -7, Xander would have been there for the weekend, on the ten shot rule.

Current Place: CUT

Tony Finau

Tony let things slip on the back nine yesterday with some hairy shots and amassed four bogeys which in all likelihood has killed his chances this week. He is still in with a shot of top ten, but I just don't see a 65 or 66 in the locker, which someone will likely need to find in order to challenge Scottie at the top, who now has a five shot cushion going into Saturday.

Current Place: 23rd

Round 2 Leaderboard

That's it for today. Thanks for reading.

Peace Out.