The Green jackets of Augusta National, who run this tournament, found a first-round leading score of six-under-par too low for comfort, so they freshened up the pin positions to tighten up the challenge. Mother Nature played her part by dousing Augusta with rain showers during the morning's play, and unleashing gusty breezes that swept and swirled around the golf course. Then the Masters referees entered the fray and darkened the mood, by inflicting a one-shot penalty upon the golden child of the 2013 Masters, China's 14-year-old Guan Tianlang.
Thursday was a bit soft for the Masters. It was warm and balmy, and a gentle breeze just occasionally cooled the face. The pins were tame and the greens were soft, and no one got called for slow play.
"In these conditions par is a good score," said Adam Scott after his second round of 72, level par, saw him edge up the leaderboard, finishing the day in a tie for seventh, three shots off Jason Day's six-under-par lead. "Those were tough conditions; everything was thrown at us and the pins were really tough, so it was easy to make mistakes. You have to scramble very, very well not to drop shots around here today. The wind was swirling and gusty at times, and then moving direction from hole to hole, so it's really hard to judge shots and pick clubs and lines. Some days you just can't force the issue.
"It is going to be an interesting weekend and I'm sure it's going to be tough if there is any wind at all.
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