Live updates and highlights during Friday’s Masters second round

Tiger Woods started his Friday on the first tee stretching out his back and then untying and re-tying his shoe laces to extend and get loose before embarking on one of the toughest walks in golf. What followed was a five-hour grind of a second round at the 2018 Masters, where Tiger ducked and jumped the cut line throughout the afternoon. Woods will get 36 more holes at Augusta National, thanks in large part to his ability to finally convert on the must-make birdie opportunities at Augusta’s par-5s.

The Woods we saw through the first two rounds at the Masters is not the same player that contended in Florida in his preceding three starts. It’s disappointing if you’re a Tiger fan, but not surprising. Woods began the week at Augusta saying this would be a different kind of test because of all the slope on each and every hole at this course. It’s one of the most incredible pieces of property you will find in golf. I’m not talking about all the perfectly manicured conditions and the flora that you see on TV. I’m talking about the natural land movement that rolls through and across all 18 holes.

Jordan Spieth shot a 6-under 66 and leads the Masters by two strokes after Thursday’s opening round. But because Spieth’s tee time is 10:53 a.m. on Friday and he’s not one of the featured groups available for streaming at Masters.com, you can’t watch his round unless you’re one of the patrons on hand at Augusta National. If his group takes more than four hours, seven minutes to play 18 holes, you’ll be able to catch his last few shots, maybe.

The two morning featured groups are Fred Couples, Haotong Li, and Joaquin Nieman (9:14 a.m. ET tee-off) and Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, and Matt Kuchar (10:31). Those are good groups, but they’re not groups with Spieth, a 24-year-old superstar going for his second Green Jacket at a course fraught with personal history both good and bad.

Something about the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result. Perhaps I’m insane. Perhaps all of us, or at least anyone who thought Jordan Spieth wouldn’t contend at The Masters after a slow start to 2018, should be described as such.

Because here we are again.

Tony Finau turned down the one invite every golfer, from the best pros to high handicap scrubs, covets the most. He took a pass on playing Augusta National.

“I’ve had opportunities to play Augusta, whether it be from a caddie, a member, to go watch as a kid,” he told me. “I’ve had opportunities to step foot on the grounds and play Augusta and watch the Masters. But I always, since I was a kid, I always told myself I am never going to set foot there unless I am playing and a participant.”

The second round of play of The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, the prestigious ground on the Georgia-South Carolina border, will begin on Friday morning. Upon one of the mosr anticipated tournaments in years, the second day of action won’t be lacking any excitement.

Every year, this tournament is a huge deal. Some think it’s the major on the golf calendar, but even if you’re not one of those people, it’s a massive event. Along with the end of March Madness and baseball’s Opening Day, it helps officially ring in springtime in the sports world. It’s extra big this year, because Tiger Woods is playing for the first time since 2015.

Thursday’s round at Augusta National for the 2018 Masters Tournament was headlined by Tiger Woods, making his first appearance on the course since 2015. Unfortunately, Woods finished 1-over, so he’ll be looking to improve on that drastically on Friday.

Woods wasn’t the only story of the day. The leader on Thursday was the 2015 champion Jordan Spieth, who was 6-under with a two-stroke lead. He absolutely crushed the back-nine of the course, including five straight birdies from holes 13-17. He’ll tee off at 10:53 a.m. ET Friday along with Alex Noren and Louis Oosthuizen.

It’s said you can’t win the Masters on Thursday, but you can lose it. Tiger Woods certainly did not do the latter with a first round score of 1-over for a 73 on the day.

When Woods was at his peak, he grinded better than anyone else. When he didn’t have his A-game, he would still at least flirt with not-bad scores and it’s a big reason why one of his claims to fame is the epic string of made cuts.