Augusta National shows its teeth; Woods, other leaders just look to hang on in 2nd round

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Woods still 2 shots off lead at tougher Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. — With the sun shining bright and Augusta National showing its teeth, Tiger Woods and just about everyone else at the Masters played a game of survival Friday.

This wasn’t a day for going low, just hanging on.

The tees were pushed back, the pin positions were toughened up and the greens began to firm up as the temperature climbed toward the 70s under a brilliant blue sky.

Sixteen players dipped into the 60s during the opening round, when a 20-mph wind that gusted up in the middle of the day provided about the only defense for the course.

Fred Couples was out front Thursday after a 6-under 66, his lowest round ever in the Masters and making him, at age 50, the oldest player to hold the outright lead after the opening round of the Masters.

He wasn’t the only one to go low. Woods returned to the game from a five-month layoff stemming from his humiliating sex scandal with a 68, the best opening score of his Augusta career. Sixty-year-old Tom Watson shot a bogey-free 67 to put himself in contention again at a major.

None of them was likely to shoot those kind of scores Friday.

Couples was piddling along with an even-par round through 12 holes, which was good enough to maintain a share of the lead with Ian Poulter and Ricky Barnes at 6 under. Watson remained one stroke back, even though he had his first two bogeys of the tournament. They were offset by a pair of birdies.

Woods also was even for the day, making the turn with a 36 to stay at 4 under. He picked up his only birdie on the front side at the par-5 second, where he chipped up next to the flag for a short putt. But Woods gave the stroke back at No. 4, failing to get up and down after he flew his approach shot over a bunker behind the green.

The eighth hole provided a telling example of the tougher conditions. With the tee pushed back, Woods needed three shots just to reach the front edge of the green at the par-5 where he made an eagle the previous day. This time, he settled for par.

Some prominent players were really struggling. Steve Stricker played the first 10 holes at 3 over. Padraig Harrington was 4 over as he walked away from No. 11.

Then there was Sandy Lyle, one of four 50-and-older players who broke par in the opening round. The 52-year-old Scotsman soared from a 69 to an 86, making four double-bogeys and a triple-bogey at the 12th.