Garcia takes share of Masters lead as Hoffman falters

Spain’s Sergio Garcia charged into a share of the lead in yesterday’s second round of the Masters thanks in part to a major collapse by US first-round leader Charley Hoffman.
Garcia, seeking his first major golf title, opened with three consecutive birdies and closed the front nine with another in blustery conditions at Augusta National.
Garcia, making his 74th major start and 19th Masters appearance, suffered a bogey at the par-3 fourth after missing the green off the tee but followed with four pars before another birdie before the turn.
The Spaniard was the only player in the first 22 groups Friday to birdie the opening hole, sinking a tricky 10-footer, then reached the second green in two shots to set up a two-putt bogey and dropped another long birdie putt at the third.
The 37-year-old Spaniard, a four-time major runner-up whose best Masters showing was a share of fourth in 2004, was on four-under for the tournament as 18-hole leader Hoffman withered over the wind-swept 7,435-yard layout.
Hoffman, who fired a seven-under par 65 in Thursday’s opening round, birdied the par-5 second but stumbled with three consecutive bogeys starting at the par-3 sixth, then opened the back nine with another to slide to four-under alongside Garcia.
American William McGirt, who teed off in the opening group, owned the clubhouse lead at two-under par 142 for 36 holes after a second-round 73.
And a mouth-watering field of contenders lurked on one-under, including world number two Rory McIlroy, a four-time major winner trying to complete a career grand slam by winning a Masters green jacket.
Also in the one-under crowd were Spaniard Jon Rahm, five-time major winner Phil Mickelson and England’s Justin Rose, Andy Sullivan and Matthew Fitzpatrick.

Masters champion Willett likely to miss cut
Danny Willett is likely to become the first defending US Masters champion to miss the cut since 2004 after struggling to a six-over-par 78 in the second round yesterday.
The Englishman, who carded 73 on Thursday, made a quadruple-bogey eight on the first hole before a solitary birdie and three bogeys, including one at the last, left him seven over par for the tournament.
The projected cut score is six over, although that could change with high winds continuing to make low scoring difficult at Augusta National.
Willett, 29, shot a flawless 67 in the final round at Augusta last year to win his first major title. Canadian Mike Weir was the last Masters champion to miss the cut 12 months after donning the Green Jacket.
McGirt making a move
William McGirt erased an early bogey with two birdies to get within three strokes of overnight leader Charley Hoffman while top players looked to make a move on a chilly day at the US Masters yesterday.
McGirt, who started the second round four shots back of the American journeyman, dropped a shot at the par-four first but quickly settled down with birdies on two of the next three holes before reaching the turn in one-under 35.
World number 52 Hoffman, who managed nine birdies during tough conditions in the opening round to storm to the top of the leaderboard, was even par through his first hole to remain seven under for the tournament.
Defending champion Danny Willett got his round off to a miserable start by firing a quadruple-bogey eight opening hole to drop to five over par for the tournament and now risks missing the cut at the year’s first major.