Best read with a fresh roasted cup o’ joe.

Well, that was really something. We’re through two rounds of the 2019 Masters, and there are seemingly thousands of storylines heading into the weekend. We have a five-way tie at the top and four other guys just one shot back. Masters Leaderboard

Leaders

Louis Oosthuizen, Francesco Molinari, Adam Scott, Brooks Koepka, and Jason Day sit tied atop the leaderboard at -7. Oosty, Molinari, Scott, and JDay all shot 68 or better on Friday to get themselves in contention, while Koepka shot 71 to hold his position at the top. All five have won major championships, but only Scott is a previous Masters champion.

One back

The (s)quad of players one shot out of the lead has some heavy hitters. Tiger Woods (68), Dustin Johnson (70), Justin Harding (69), and Xander Schauffele (65) all are tied for sixth at -6. Tiger played the par 5s in even par and was still able to hoist himself into contention. Justin Harding is definitely the least known player of the group, and this is just his third major championship, but he cannot be discounted. On the European Tour last month, he won the Qatar Masters and placed second in the Kenya Open.

Notes

  • Xander Schauffele shot his way into contention with a second-round 65. X entered the week with three top-six finishes in just seven major championship starts. His 65 is the low round of the event to this point.

  • Phil Mickelson didn’t have the best day but is still in the mix at -4. Lefty has been vocal about wanting to win his fourth green jacket and will be in the mix this weekend.

  • Ian Poulter had a chance to post a low number on Friday, but settled for a 71. He stands at -5 and will tee it up with Tiger tomorrow afternoon.

  • After starting the day tied for the lead, Bryson DeChambeau shot a second-round 75. The Terminal Atrocity made three bogeys and a double to fall four shots back of the lead.

  • Sixty-one-year-old Bernhard Langer made the cut and is -1 through two rounds. Langer has played in the Masters for more than 30 years, and his ability to compete with the 2019 crew is deeply impressive.

  • Four amateurs—Viktor Hovland, Alvaro Ortiz, Devon Bling, and Takumi Kanaya—made the cut today. The battle for top amateur is not usually hotly contested, but 2019 looks to be an exception.

  • Jordan Spieth found his old form and worked his way back to -1 for the week. He made five birdies on Friday and could have easily made a few more on his way to #liveunderpar.

  • Tiger’s Masters nearly ended on 14 as a security guard slipped and bumped Big Cat’s ankle. Read the full story HERE.

  • Kiradech leads the tournament in Strokes Gained: On the Ground. Video

  • Zach Johnson took a practice swing he will never forget. Video

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