Not Good Day for Big Names ; Clark, Wetterich Share Masters Lead

Apr 07, 08:31 PM

Current Headlines: By Doug Ferguson

Tiger Woods played one shot left-handed and put two balls in the water at Amen Corner. Phil Mickelson spent most of the day scrambling out of the woods.

So much for that two-man show at the Masters.

Augusta National refused to play favorites for anyone Friday on a crisp afternoon, leaving Brett Wetterich and Tim Clark tied for the lead and only one other player under par after two excruciating rounds on a relentless golf course.

Wetterich three-putted for bogey twice over the final four holes and staggered home to a 1-over 73. Clark, the runner-up a year ago to Mickelson, holed a putt from off the 18th green for a 71.

They were at 2-under 142, the highest 36-hole score to lead the Masters in 25 years.

Vaughn Taylor had a chance to join them until missing a 5-foot par putt on the final hole for a 72 that left him one shot behind.

"This golf course is playing so tough right now," Clark said. "If you're just a little bit off your game . . . it's going to be tough to score."

Forget that notion that only a dozen or so players are capable of winning at Augusta National. Heading into the weekend, the green jacket was up for grabs -- even for Woods and Mickelson, who have five of them over the past six years but have struggled this week.

Woods only dropped one shot from his two water balls on the 12th and 13th, made birdie from well behind the 15th green and somehow escaped with a 74, leaving him at 3-over 147 and among 22 players within five shots of the lead.

"I kept myself right there in the ball game," Woods said.

Another shot behind was Mickelson, who worried about missing the cut when he was lost in the forest left of the 11th fairway. He managed to limit the damage to a bogey, again played mistake-free over the final four holes and shot 73.

"I think anybody who made the cut actually has a realistic chance," Mickelson said. "With the wind blowing the next two days like it's supposed to, I think over par is going to win. If you made the cut and shoot in the 60s, you're right back in it."

Sixty players made the cut at 8-over 152, the most players to advance to the weekend since 61 players in 1993. But there isn't a ton of experience at the top.

Vijay Singh, the 2000 Masters champion, shot a 71 and was in the group at 144 that included Jerry Kelly (69), Zach Johnson (73) and Justin Rose (75). Johnson was poised to take the lead when he stood over a 4-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th. He three-putted for bogey, then dropped shots on the last two holes.

The group at 145 included U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy (70) and Padraig Harrington, whose 68 has been as low a round as Augusta National has allowed for two days. Paul Casey also shot 68 while paired with Woods.

"Nobody is safe right now," Casey said. "Anybody can win this."

The last time a 36-hole score this high led the Masters was in 1982, when Curtis Strange and Craig Stadler were at even-par 144.

Stadler, 53, was among four seniors to make the cut, joining the large group at 3-over 147 that featured Woods, Casey, Mark Calcavecchia, former Masters champion Mike Weir and Dean Wilson, the first player from Hawaii to make the cut. Weir and Wilson, roommates at BYU, will be paired together Saturday.

Making the cut on the number was Fred Couples, for a Masters record-tying 23rd consecutive time.

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