AUGUSTA, Ga. – They say the key to Augusta National is to get at the par-5s. Patrick Reed listened. The American is 8 under on the four par-5s through two rounds, making birdies on them all in each of the opening rounds. “You’re not going to shoot a low score if you don’t,â€� he said post-round. It has helped him to a 69-66 start and a two-shot lead over Marc Leishman. He’s four clear of Henrik Stenson in third. The next-best player on the par-5s is Jordan Spieth at 6 under – he’s 4 under for the tournament. “To be able to go out and capitalize on those par-5s and to make a lot of birdies there, it kind of allows you to be really aggressive when you feel like you’re really comfortable with a shot,â€� Reed added. “Or at the same time, even though you might have a short iron, because of what you’re doing on the par-5s, you might play a little bit on the cautious side.â€� Prior to this year, Reed had never shot a round in the 60s at Augusta National through 12 tries. He has opened 69-66 this year. But no player has ever carded four rounds in the 60s at the Masters. “My game plan has gotten me to this point, and I have 36 more holes to stick to my game plan,â€� he deadpanned. “I believe that if I play the golf that I know how to play, that I can win majors. I have to not get ahead of myself and go into tomorrow and just take it shot-by-shot, hole‑by‑hole, like I’ve been doing. “There’s a lot of holes left, and I just need to go out and play some solid golf and just go out and continue shooting in the 60s and see if it gets the job done.â€� NO LAY UP IN LEISHMAN Australian Marc Leishman came to the par-5 15th hole on Thursday in the lead and promptly double bogeyed the hole. When he returned Friday with another hot round going, he faced a predicament having been blocked out from the left pin by the trees. He could lay up and face a difficult wedge shot – or he could sling hook a 5-iron from 223 yards and go for glory. Glory it was. The three-time PGA TOUR winner produced a stunning shot that carved around, found the putting surface, and rolled out to 6 feet. He then buried the eagle putt and finished the round alone in second place. “With the way I hooded the club over to hook it that much, it turned it into like a 3‑ or 4‑iron,â€� he explained. “I hooded the club a lot and just swung into‑out, and the ball comes out like that. I don’t really think about it too much. I just see a shot and swing.â€� What makes his gung-ho attitude even more impressive is it was on the 15th hole where he lost his chance at a Green Jacket five years ago. Playing with eventual champion Adam Scott, his approach found a watery grave and sent him towards a T4 finish instead. But the silver lining for Leishman was seeing firsthand what it took to win – and guts was part of it. “You have to grab the bull by the horns … it’s not going to come to you,â€� he said of winning the tournament. “You have to go out and win it. That’s how I’ve always played. I try and win tournaments. “Like that shot on 15 today, I’m not one to lay up if there’s a chance I can get there. I saw it firsthand, know what it takes. I feel like I learned a lot that day and hopefully it will put me in good stead for this week and can be sitting here Sunday night.â€� QUOTABLES “Even though I’m a lot behind, if I play a special weekend, shoot two rounds in the mid 60s, you never know.â€� – Tiger Woods will start 13 shots back Saturday. “I’ve always felt comfortable being up around the lead. It’s a place that I’m thankfully quite familiar with and know how to deal with.â€� – Rory McIlroy “The greens are very tough. They’re a fine line. Not very often do you get a gimme after having anything outside of 20 feet.â€� – Rickie Fowler “This experience is invaluable. Just can’t wait to get back every year after this.â€� India’s Shubhankar Sharma who missed the cut in his first Masters “I think it’s going to be pretty bunched up over the weekend and it should be very entertaining.â€� Louis Oosthuizen sits seven back and T8. NOTABLES Tiger Woods: A scratchy 75 leaves Woods at 4 over and in need of a miracle weekend starting 14 back. Jordan Spieth: The overnight leader dropped to T4 with a scratchy 74 but he’s still within reach of a second Green Jacket. Read about his travails here. Rory McIlroy: 69-71 for McIlroy has the career Grand Slam well and truly within reach. He starts Saturday T4, five shots back. Read about the big names lurking here. Dustin Johnson: The World No. 1 is T6, just six back. Justin Thomas: The FedExCup leader is also T6, just six shots back. Rickie Fowler: 70-72 for Fowler and a T8 slot means the major drought could yet be broken. Phil Mickelson: A dismal 79 on Friday, equaling his worst at Augusta, dropped Phil out of the race at 5 over. Sergio Garcia: Became just the 10th player in Masters history to miss the cut in their title defense, shooting 81-78 to be 15 over. See other notables to miss the weekend here. SUPERLATIVES Driving distance: Dustin Johnson 323.4 yards Fairways hit: Webb Simpson 13/14 Greens in regulation: Bubba Watson 15/18 Proximity to the hole: Chez Reavie 30 feet, 2 inches Scrambling: Louis Oosthuizen 6/6 Strokes Gained: Putting: Patrick Reed 3.569 Strokes Gained: Tee to Green: Marc Leishman 5.380
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