Masters leaderboard and scores 2017: Rickie Fowler, Sergio Garcia surge to the top in Round 2

The leaderboard at the Masters is jam-packed at the top after Friday’s second-round play at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. It’s never easy to predict a major championship’s outcome after 36 competitive holes, but this one feels especially difficult, because so many players are so closely grouped together.

Unlike when Charley Hoffman’s 7-under score on Thursday gave him a four-stroke lead to end the day, nobody ended the day on Friday in command of the field. Hoffman’s still in the hunt, right atop the board. But he’s more or less running neck-and-neck with three other players: Sergio Garcia, Rickie Fowler, and Thomas Pieters, all at 4-under.

Friday brought a host of interesting storylines. Garcia moved to 4-under and gave himself an excellent chance heading into a weekend. Garcia, of course, has made a career of having a chance at major championships. He’s finished in the top two in four different major events, in the top five at least once in every leg of the career grand slam. Alas, Garcia has yet to finish the job and win one. He has another shot now.

Twenty-five-year-old Belgian Pieters led for much of Thursday, and he played a strong round to give himself a chance on Friday. Pieters is a former college national champion who broke out in 2016, and he looks poised to take up space at the top level of the sport for years to come. He’ll get more major opportunities, no matter how he does this weekend. He’s got one of the prettiest swings in the world.

Fred Couples, the 1992 Masters winner, is unlikely to win. But he’s solidly in contention 25 years after winning his green jacket, at the ripe age of 57. Couples has always been a fan favorite at Augusta, and the galleries there will be smitten with him all weekend.

Couples is the oldest player in contention, but only by about 11 years. Phil Mickelson’s in the hunt at Augusta as he’s so often been before, trying to win the tournament at 46. The only man who’s ever done that: Jack Nicklaus in 1986.

Jordan Spieth’s lurking not too far from contention. Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Adam Scott all have opportunities to make weekend charges. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson isn’t playing, but the weekend still sets up like it’ll be captivating.

The leaderboard at Masters.com updates throughout play. Here’s how the board stacked up after play concluded on Friday: