By Simon Evans
AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) –
Rory McIlroy moved in for the kill and Tiger Woods was left kicking his club in frustration during a Masters second round
that ended with Americans Jason Dufner and Fred Couples sharing the lead.
second round play in the 2012 Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, April 6, 2012.
REUTERS/Phil Noble
A log-jammed leaderboard, featuring five players one stroke off the pace, sets up a fascinating
weekend for the first major of the year with 52-year-old Couples, winner here 20 years ago, cast in the role of nostalgist’s
underdog.
McIlroy, the world number two and U.S. Open champion, shot a composed two-under-par 69 to move within a
stroke of the lead but the man he was presumed to be duelling with at Augusta – four-times Masters winner Woods – came close
to imploding.
Woods pushed his tee shot right into the bunker on the 16th and hurled his club to the floor before
kicking it away in a flash of anger and frustration.
There was no shortage of grimacing and muttering from a tired and
unhappy looking Woods as he battled through the final holes, struggling but avoiding a total meltdown that would have left
him missing the cut.
After opening with birdies on two of his first three holes, Woods had five bogeys the rest of the
way and posted a three-over 75 that left him eight shots back of the leaders and three shots from missing the cut.
But
the raw data does not capture the disappointing display from a player who, fresh off his first PGA Tour win in 30 months, was
made bookmaker’s favourite this week.
McIlroy started the day four shots off the pace but the Northern Irishman made
a solid start with three birdies on his first seven holes, including a 35-foot birdie putt on the par-three fourth.