How difficult to explain to someone who is not very familiar with what the Augusta Masters court is why the difference in scores from day one to day two when the weather conditions were almost the same.
The first thing to know is that all 18 greens have a system installed below the surface to be able to regulate the soil temperature. Think of a radiant slab that allows Augusta to handle the temperature and thus give the grass on the greens the heat or cool it needs to be in the best possible condition.
That said and understanding that grass suffers significant “stress” when it is cut very low to achieve the desired ball speed, a sunny and windy day like yesterday makes them that color between brown and gray that was seen on television. When that happens, even the best in the world suffer because the ball bounces instead of stopping with hits to the green and then it is very difficult to get close / hole it.
That had happened on Thursday and the scores were very high, but another story was lived this Friday. They threw some more water on the greens to make the grass “revive”, but what saved the Masters participants it was that there was no sun back in the day, which made them keep the normal green color.
When that happens, the hits to the green and the play on it they are much more predictable. That is why the average score went from 74.53 to 72.25 strokes.
Augusta workers keep the fields in top condition. Photo EFE
Quickly in the morning it was seen that it would be a different day and Bernd Weisberger dispatched with 66 strokes. It is the same player as Thursday I had thrown the ball into the water from inside the 15th green with his putter. The Austrian, who plays on the European circuit, where he has already won several times, crosses the ocean to play only the great championships where he already had a good presentation.
A few minutes later it was the turn of the leader of the first day. Justin Rose was said had not arrived in his best shape and in the second round that was noticed in the beginning. A little nervous in his first nine holes, which were forgotten, but found the magic in the return, signed 72 hits and remains as pointer of the Masters.
The four-shot difference was reduced to just one because rookie Will Zalatoris (68 shots) and Brian Harman (69) share second place. In case of Zalatoris it is to highlight because just two years ago I had no “status” to play on a major circuit, but after his sixth place at the 2020 U.S. Open he did not stop playing well.
Only one more stroke back the big names begin to appear. There is Jordan sppieth, one of the candidates, who is already two strokes and with confidence through the roof, along with the Australian Leishman, who usually plays well here; another hit further back is Justin thomas, another favorite, who got off his nerves and played at his best.
Jordan Spieth, one of the best golfers in the world. Photo EFE
Next to him appears Tony Finau, the man who more top 10 has been on the US tour in the last four years without having managed to win in that period of time. The weekend is hard for good old Finau, but one day he will break the streak.
If the story is among those who will fight for the title, the other story was written those who already said goodbye of Augusta until 2022. The most exclusive club in golf will not have a new member for now because Rory McIlroy he was still lost. He is seen playing and walking as someone who not only does not find a way to go back to being his old self but even gives the feeling of someone resigned. There is no doubt that he will be the great player he was again, but I think it will take a while return to the best level.
The defending champion and No. 1 in the world will also not have a start time for today: Dustin Johnson did not play well and finished with three bogeys in the last four holes that they left him out of the cut. The worst is must stay see you tomorrow for put the green coat on him to the new champion.
Garcia, Westwood, Day, Cantlay, Koepka and Kuchar are other big names that they didn’t make the cut either.
Between the first and the last there are 10 strokes of difference and the Masters it is open to all.
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source https://pledgetimes.com/augusta-masters-the-stress-of-the-field-and-an-open-ended-contest/
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