Adam Scott tried to play himself out of the Masters on Friday. Before he did, he played himself back into contention.
The tournament’s defending champion was in the next-to-last group to tee off at Augusta National in the second round. After opening with a strong 69 on Thursday, he quickly faded in the dry and blustery conditions that greeted the afternoon players. He bogeyed three of his first six holes.
But after tightening a few screws here and there and managing to go out in 39, Scott found new life on Augusta National’s vulnerable back nine. He came home in 33 strokes to salvage even par and stay in the hunt at 3 under for the tournament.
“It wasn’t exactly what I was looking for but, given everything, I’m absolutely satisfied with that,” said Scott, who became Australia’s first Masters champion last year. “It just means tomorrow’s round’s extremely important for me. It’s going to have to be maybe the best round of the week.”
Friday’s round was close to becoming very special. He had a birdie putt from inside 10 feet nibble at the cup on 17 after he came close earlier on 16.
As it was, Scott was able to take advantage of the two par-5s on the back, with birdies on 13 and 15. A rare birdie on 12 — where he hit in the water and doubled Thursday — was a bonus. He also scrambled from the trees to make par on 18.
“I felt it was so important to get through 10, 11, and 12 without dropping another shot, so I could get to 13 and 15 and maybe create some chances for eagle or at least have good looks at birdie,” Scott said. “I knew if I finished the day in red numbers, I would be in a pretty good position going into the weekend.”
As it turns out, he’s exactly where he was a year ago. He went 69-72 to open last year’s tournament before duplicating 69s on the weekend and beating Angel Cabrera in a playoff.
“I made a few bogeys, and I remembered I did (the same thing) last year on Friday on the front nine as well,” Scott said. “I shot 39-33, I believe, last year, just like this. It doesn’t mean just because you did it last year, you’re going to do it again, but there are always opportunities to hit good shots on the back nine here.”
The scenario is indeed eerily similar to 2013, when Scott was tied for third at 141 with Justin Rose, Jason Dufner and K.J. Choi. Then he was chasing Jason Day (138), Marc Leishman (139), Brandt Snedeker (140) and Cabrera (140). This time it’s Bubba Watson (137) and John Senden (140) ahead of Scott and three others.
“Well, obviously they both have a lot of experience around this course,” Jim Furyk, who’s at 142, said of the past two champions, Scott and Watson. “They have both won here. I think the course suits Bubba very well for style of play. He hits it so far.”
But nobody’s about to count out the Aussie, who still has the green jacket in his clubhouse locker. Least of all, that Aussie.
“I still think if you’re playing, you got a chance,” Scott said.
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