Cloudy day, 30 per cent chance of precipitation. The course still laying itself open to be taken. Somehow one feels that a trap is being set for about 50 players who will be let in to the weekend (10 shots off the leader or forty four plus ties equals, whichever is greater) for the trap to be sprung.
Then, like Abhimanyu in the chakravyuha, there is no way out and the Gods will watch with amusement the interplay of thrust and parry among these 50, until one of them takes out a Brahmastra to destroy everyone. Who will it be? No one can say, particularly as the much adored Freddie Couples at 51 years is just five shots back and very much in the fray. There’s hope yet for us aging fossils!
Rory certainly got rid of his old ghosts of great opening rounds followed by weak second rounds at majors, with a credible minus three sixty nine despite no birdies on three of the four par five holes. Like everybody else, he missed several chances and no doubt his putter had gone cold this day. Nothing changed in his easy saunter from shot to shot as the trio of Rory, Jason Day of Australia, and Ricky Fowler, all in their early twenties, played together and produced magic as Jason bettered Rory’s sixty five of yesterday with a first-timer record matching sixty four, the best of the tournament so far. Rory and Jason will fittingly be the final pair on Saturday.
| LEADER BOARD ROUND II | |||
| POS | PLAYER | TODAY | TOTAL |
| T1 | R Mcllroy | -3 | -10 |
| T2 | J Day | -8 | -8 |
| T3 | K Choi | -2 | -7 |
| T3 | T Woods | -6 | -7 |
| T5 | G Ogilvy | -3 | -6 |
| T5 | A Quiros | 1 | -6 |
All the work on the range and in the gym, coupled with a fun attitude towards the game even though it is serious business, makes for many years of a mutually respectful competitive spirit which will entertain us voyeurs for years. At minus ten, minus eight and minus five respectively they will be joined in battle by a truly international field of English/Irish/Koreans/Spanish/Australians/a lone South African/a possible Japanese and of course some Americans, the foremost of which is the redoubtable Tiger Woods. Woods’s demeanour, despite setbacks in the first hake, was markedly different and composed today. There was neither any slumping of shoulders nor excessive pumping of fists except for a minor show of anxiety at the flight of his superb cut shot from under trees to the eighteenth green, and, by comparison, a thrust of his fist at sinking his ninth birdie of the day (versus three bogies). He now lies third, just three shots off the pace. He does not appear to swagger and this could indicate that he is now playing the “field”, the gross elements and the subtle, and is comfortably in sync with them.
All the experience in the world would say that the ball will turn this way or that — but it doesn’t! This may be because the grass has grown during the day, the position of the sun has shifted, a butterfly has flapped it’s wings on the other side of the planet, and the earthquake has shifted earth’s axis and all this is changing the field. Under such circumstances, his game, and his play, are magic, the result be damned.
The Tiger is not on the prowl because that suggests an external prey, while he is really targeting himself.
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Today, after a long time, Tiger appears content within himself, courteously accepting applause and being highly respectful to the audience. This is awesome given the recent tribulations he has been through. There is clear evidence, given today’s stellar performance, that even the women (mostly) have forgiven him and that they are willing and wishing him to win.
Saturday, the pre-final, the day before the denouement, is sometimes more difficult than the final day. Forty three deep and pearl white bunkers guard against two bold or errant shots (as opposed to one seven eight at St Andrews). Virtually all shots are played from inclines rather than flat surfaces, and there are ample mounds and troughs around the greens, which reflects the path of seemingly well hit shots.
The greens themselves are ample protection by virtue of their speed, contours, terracing, and menacing slopes. With all this protection, throw in the wind at 25-35 miles an hour, and the “haat-jaam” from the tension of battle, and you know the trap has sprung.
Saturday promises to be a defining day in terms of whether Rory can string together yet another marvellous day, or Jason Day break sixty four or Tiger Woods play like he did in 1997.
We should not forget Phil Mickelson who uncharacteristically missed at least six up and down and threatened that he can still overtake the leaders (could he produce yet another 16 under par over the weekend as he did last week?) and claim a fourth Green Jacket.
The weekend is looking like fantastic entertainment for the spectators at Augusta National and at every TV terminal around the world.
