Rose clings to 1-shot Masters lead as Spieth, Thomas lurk

Justin Rose was happy enough to still have the lead Friday at the Masters, even if only by a fraction on a day when Augusta National was more forgiving and he had to rally just to shoot par.

The two players right behind had reason to be thrilled just to be at the Masters.

One of them was Brian Harman, barely inside the top 100 in the world a month ago until two good weeks changed his fortunes. The other was 24-year-old Will Zalatoris, who just over a year ago was toiling in the minor leagues and still doesn't have a full PGA Tour card.

Justin Rose, of England, waits to putt on the 13th hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament on Friday, April 9, 2021, in Augusta, Ga. (AP PhotoDavid J. Phillip)

“I wanted to be here my entire life,” Zalatoris said after birdies on his last three holes for a 4-under 68. “Some people shy away from that, but I'm excited to be here. There's no reason to feel intimidated now. I made it to here. And obviously, the job is not done by any means.”

The job is over for defending champion Dustin Johnson, who bogeyed three of his last four holes for a 75 to miss the cut by two shots.

For everyone else, it's just getting started.

Will Zalatoris hits to the 13th green during the second round of the Masters golf tournament on Friday, April 9, 2021, in Augusta, Ga. (AP PhotoDavid J. Phillip)

Ten players were within three shots of Rose, who had a 72 and was at 7-under 137. That group included former Masters champion Jordan Spieth, who is coming off a victory last week in the Texas Open and is starting to look like the Spieth of old, even at age 27.

“Having made a triple and five over-par holes through two rounds, I feel pretty good about being at 5 under,” Spieth said after a 68.

The group three shots behind included Si Woo Kim, who played the final four holes without a putter that he broke out of frustration. After a three-putt bogey on the 14th and a chip that nearly ran off the green at the 15th, he jammed the head of the club into the turf and damaged it.

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland waits to putt on the 18th green during the second round of the Masters golf tournament on Friday, April 9, 2021, in Augusta, Ga. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

Kim used a fairway metal to close with four pars and a 69. Asked if he had a backup putter, Kim replied, “No. I don't want to answer anymore. Sorry.”

Rose was staked to a four-shot lead at the start of a warm, overcast day and it was gone after seven holes. He didn't drop a shot the rest of the way, picked up three birdies on the back nine and salvaged the day.

“Just a classic day at Augusta National when you're slightly off,” Rose said. “I kind of told myself going up the eighth hole, ‘You’re leading the Masters.' Your frame of reference is a little bit different to yesterday. Four ahead is something, but you're still leading. So just enjoy it and keep it going.”

Jordan Spieth putts on the 16th green during the second round of the Masters golf tournament on Friday, April 9, 2021, in Augusta, Ga. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

The course played to an average score of 72.2, compared with 74.5 for the opening round. There were 35 rounds under par compared with 12 on the first day.

Bernd Wiesberger of Austria and Tony Finau each had 66 to get within three shots. Marc Leishman had a 67 and joined Spieth just two shots behind.

Justin Thomas, who can returned to No. 1 in the world with a victory, missed a short par putt on the final hole and shot 67. He also was three shots behind.

Jordan Spieth hits his tee shot on the 16th hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament on Friday, April 9, 2021, in Augusta, Ga. (AP PhotoDavid J. Phillip)

The wild card in all this is Zalatoris, built like a 1-iron and already renowned for his ball striking. His late run began with a 9-iron to a back right pin on the par-3 16th to 10 feet and ended with a wedge from 138 yards on the 18th to 5 feet that put him in the final group on the weekend at Augusta.

Born in San Francisco, he grew up in Dallas and played some of his best when golf was shut down during the pandemic. Zalatoris was on the Korn Ferry Tour, and when golf resumed, he had five straight finishes in the top six, including his first victory.

That got him into the U.S. Open, where he tied for sixth. Now he has temporary PGA Tour membership and is among the top 50 in the world, getting him into the Masters. That's why he talks of an “attitude of gratitude.”

Justin Thomas reacts after missing an eagle putt on the 13th green during the second round of the Masters golf tournament on Friday, April 9, 2021, in Augusta, Ga. (AP PhotoDavid J. Phillip)

Zalatoris also is a quick study with a long memory. He grew up with the kids of former PGA champion Lanny Wadkins, and took in tales of Wadkins and his 23 times playing the Masters. One story Zalatoris heard when he was 14 years old came in handy on the par-3 12th hole.

“He just said that whenever it's into the wind ... it just doesn't really affect the ball as much,” Zalatoris said. “And when it's downwind, that's where guys tend to struggle."

The wind was about 10 mph into him and out of the left, 153 yards to the hole. He hit a shot that normally goes 152 yards and it carried 150. It helped that he made a 35-foot putt for birdie.

Justin Thomas reacts after his tee shot on the fourth hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament on Friday, April 9, 2021, in Augusta, Ga. (AP PhotoMatt Slocum)

Now he heads into the weekend at a major that is up for grabs for so many players, minus Johnson, Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Cantlay, who all missed the cut.

It has been 42 years since Fuzzy Zoeller became the most recent player to win the Masters on his first try.

Right there with Zalatoris is another Dallas resident — Spieth, finding his form at a major where he has a victory, two runner-up finishes and third place in seven appearances. He thought he could win at Augusta even before he won last week in Texas.

Marc Leishman, of Australia, hits his tee shot on the 12th hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament on Friday, April 9, 2021, in Augusta, Ga. (AP PhotoCharlie Riedel)

“I'm in position now to think that for sure,” Spieth said. “But at the halfway point, I would have been pleased with being two back.”

(This version corrects to 35 rounds under par on Friday)

Brooks Koepka stretches to line up a putt on the 14th green during the first round of the Masters golf tournament on Thursday, April 8, 2021, in Augusta, Ga. (AP PhotoDavid J. Phillip)

Jon Rahm, of Spain, hits out of the pine straw on the 13th hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament on Friday, April 9, 2021, in Augusta, Ga. (AP PhotoCharlie Riedel)

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — AP photographer Matt Slocum knows his way around the bucolic Augusta National Golf Club during the week of the Masters — it’s a difficult task with all the regulations that help preserve the aura of the tournament. So, when he saw the light and clouds combining for a perfect backdrop, he knew exactly where he should go to take some tee shots. He also knew how to stay ahead of the patrons to get to his perfect spot. Here’s what he had to say about making this extraordinary image.

The Masters is one of the most revered tournaments of professional golf — it’s also one of the toughest for photographers and golfers. One of golf’s four majors, it's full of history and tradition; rules and etiquette; joy and pain for both us and them.

Photographers are not allowed “inside the ropes” at the Masters — patrons are kept from the playing areas such as fairways and greens by ropes that mark the course. Being on the players’ side of the ropes give photographers better sight lines and ease of movement. But The Associated Press is lucky to have a good mix of photographers and editors onsite to help cover the tournament. We work together under the direction of David J. Phillip. With his vast Masters knowledge and experience, he guides us around the course as the day progresses and golfers charge up the leaderboard. Teamwork and communication are vital when covering this tournament. It’s tough to navigate the course quickly. You learn the hard way which crosswalks to avoid at peak times. Photographers that work together and are organized will have more success and less frustration overall.

Because we are not allowed inside the ropes, we tend to camp out at strategic spots and then leapfrog around before the crowds get too big. There are a few tee boxes that have access from behind. Patrons at the Masters are very polite and helpful when asked if we can kneel in front of them to get a key shot. By staying low, we don’t block them, and it allows us to emphasize the golfer and clean up the background. Once you find an area or light that is productive, you tend to work it, group after group to make scenic photos. You can vary the exposure and lens you use to add variety — wide, normal and telephoto.

In this case, golfers were teeing off toward the back of the box. I carried a fast, moderate-wide angle lens, a Sony 35mm F/1.4 GM and a Sony A1 mirrorless camera in anticipation of making this kind of photo. We are very lucky Sony is onsite to clean, repair and loan equipment. Not that I ever break anything, but many thanks to Van Nguyen, for replacing something I might have broken. I was shooting on a nearby hole when the clouds started to break and the blue sky appeared. This was my 14th Masters; I knew where to go in my area to line up a golfer with the sky.

I set my camera with the lowest native ISO, 100, to emphasize the dramatic sky. As golfer Rory McIlroy walked up the tee, I placed the camera very low and tried to keep him centered among the trees lining the hole. I just about always shoot at the widest aperture available, in this case F/1.4, to keep the emphasis on McIlroy. I was hunched way over on my knees, straining see the built-in level on the back of the screen. The camera was set to its fastest frame rate, 30 frames per second. I set the fastest shutter speed, 1/32,000th, to freeze all movement. I held the shutter release down for less than a second and made 22 crooked frames of the swing sequence. I picked a few visually pleasing moments to send to my editors Chris Carlson and Darron Cummings. It’s not obnoxiously crooked and has a nice feel, but it’s not perfect. “You can do better,” I hear from a ghost my head.

This photo is unique because of the clouds. There was a storm that delayed the start of the tournament that morning. It was dark and grey for most of the day. The shallow depth of field helps keep your eye focused on Rory. Using a very fast shutter speed helps make the bright areas of the image darker. It brings out the clouds, knocks down the crowd and freezes the golfer’s club at the top of his swing. The clouds are still breaking, framing the golfer and starting to add light on his swing.

For more extraordinary AP photography, click here.

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits his tee shot on the ninth hole during the first round at the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Thursday, April 11, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)