[ad_1]
World number one Dustin Johnson and third classified Justin thomas I imagine it might take an unusual approach to win Teachers, playing aggressive and discarding what might normally work.
SUMMARY | 2nd Round Masters
The American duo shared the nine-under 135 clubhouse advantage with Australia’s Cameron Smith and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer.
Louis Oosthuizen He was the top-ranked South African and was tied for ninth at -7 although he was one of 48 golfers who still had the second round to go.
Both Johnson and Thomas hope to win the green jacket that symbolizes Masters supremacy for a second major crown, Johnson after his 2016 US Open title and Thomas after his 2017 PGA Championship win.
Thomas has seen shots doing unexpected things this week, a combination of rain-softened conditions and fall weather that requires some adaptation from lessons learned over time at Augusta National.
“It’s a lot smoother and a lot more scoring, but it really has come down to executing a little bit better and minimizing errors,” Thomas said.
“You really throw all the past knowledge out the window, strange as it may be.
“It’s not that I’m the only one who has to adapt or feel uncomfortable in certain situations. The whole field is dealing with the same thing.”
Johnson, who is trying to become the first highest-ranked Masters winner since Tiger Woods in 2002, is happy with his shots, but believes he needs to keep an offensive mindset even as the field gets firmer after the rains earlier in the week.
“We will still have to get out,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be smooth enough that you have to attack the field and play aggressive and keep swinging like me.
“I like where I am. I like my position. Heading into the weekend.”
Thomas has done better each year in his four Masters starts, coming in 12th last year, and feels like he’s left shots down the field.
“It’s definitely not as low as I think it could or should be, but we’re in a good position going into the weekend,” he said. “I know the subtle nuances. I just haven’t executed it and done it well.”
Johnson, the PGA Player of the Year after winning the Tour Championship, has been runner-up in three of the past six majors and will focus on the par-5 holes, hoping his long driving game will help make a difference.
“I’m happy with the way I swing it, how I control the golf ball and everything I do,” Johnson said. “Roll the putter well. I just hope to see a few more over the weekend.
“I need to play the par 5 a little better over the weekend. That’s the only thing I really need to do better.”
Partial second round results on Friday at the 84th Masters at par 72 at Augusta National Golf Club (a-denotes amateur; USA unless noted; Darkness stopped play with 48 players on the field, round will resume on Saturday):
135 – Abraham Ancer (MEX) 68-67, Cameron Smith (AUS) 67-68, Justin Thomas 66-69, Dustin Johnson 65-70
136 – Patrick Cantlay 70-66, Im Sung-jae (KOR) 66-70
137 – Danny Willett (ENG) 71-66, Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 71-66, Justin Rose (ENG) 67-70
138 – Sebastián Muñoz (COL) 70-68, Dylan Frittelli (RSA) 65-73
139 – Phil Mickelson 69-70, Brooks Koepka 70-69
140 – Rickie Fowler 70-70, Billy Horschel 70-70
141 – a-John Augenstein 69-72, Bernhard Langer (GER) 68-73, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 75-66, Victor Perez (FRA) 70-71
142 – Shugo Imahira (JPN) 72-70, Adam Scott (AUS) 70-72, Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA) 69-73, Cameron Champ 68-74
143 – Chez Reavie 71-72, Bubba Watson 74-69
144 – Nick Taylor (CAN) 72-72, Kang Sung (KOR) 75-69, Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 71-73, Collin Morikawa 70-74, Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) 74-70, Zach Johnson 73-71
145 – An Byeong-hun (KOR) 72-73, Max Homa 70-75, Andrew Putnam 73-72
146 – Justin Harding (RSA) 75-71, Brendon Todd 73-73
147 – Matthew Wolff 70-77, Tyrrell Hatton (ENG) 73-74
148 – JT Poston 73-75, a-James Sugrue (IRL) 77-71
150 – Francesco Molinari (ITA) 72-78, Fred Parejas 77-73
158 – Jose Maria Olazabal (ESP) 78-80
Erik van Rooyen (RSA) 76-WD
