Masters is a salvage operation

It was this kind of day at the Masters: Tiger Woods shot a second straight round of over par and almost skipped home, Vijay Singh fired a 71 that felt like 66 and Phil Mickelson went from flirting with the cut line to possibly positioning himself for a title defense.

For these men who have combined to win seven Masters championships, Friday was all about hanging on at Augusta National and not letting a bad shot lead to a bad weekend.

Woods shoots two-over-par 74 most days and wants to kick something.

Woods shot 74 on Friday and said, “I feel great now.”

Course conditions remained difficult again and are expected to toughen with more dry weather and cold temperatures on the way.

Golf’s big guns are hedging the 36-hole leaders will soon become followers.

The pacesetters, both at two-under 142, have been identified as 33-year-old Brett Wetterich, a virtual unknown until last year, and Tim Clark, whom you might not be able to pick out of a golf mug-shot lineup despite finishing second behind Mickelson at last year’s Masters.

One shot back and the only other player under par is Vaughn Taylor, trying to become the first Augustan to win here since Larry Mize in 1987.

Four players -- Singh, Justin Rose, Zach Johnson and Jerry Kelly -- are two shots back at even-par 144.

How tough was it out there?

Augusta National, a par 72, played Friday to an average of 75.6, slightly easier than Thursday’s 76.2.

It was the highest 36-hole lead since 1982, when Curtis Strange and Craig Stadler were even par.

Two-time champion Tom Watson finished bogey-triple bogey and missed the cut, which was eight over, by one.

“The greens are the toughest I’ve seen them,” Watson said.

Two-time champion Ben Crenshaw made the cut at six over despite making bogey on his last three holes.

Congratulations, Ben, you’re in.

“I’m sick to my stomach,” he said.

Kelly, who shot three-under 69 on Friday and hails from Wisconsin, may be the player best-equipped for the weather that is expected.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve practiced when it’s been below freezing,” Kelly said. “I mean, that’s a normal occurrence for me.”

Friday’s leaders may already be looking over their caddies’ shoulders.

Wetterich must have realized he was leading the Masters at four under when he went bogey-bogey at No. 15 and No. 16.

Wetterich played his college golf at Wallace State Community College in Alabama and worked hard for years to earn his PGA card. He had a breakthrough last year by winning the Byron Nelson Classic and earning a spot on the Ryder Cup team.

He didn’t get any help winning this tournament when one of his neighbors called him at 1:30 a.m. Friday morning.

“My buddies forget that I’m playing at the Masters and I have to get up at 5:30,” he said.

You think Woods’ buddies forget?

Don’t call the engraver just yet.

“I’m sure there’s going to be some past champions that are sneaking up there in the next couple of days,” said Wetterich, who finished second to Woods at Doral two weeks ago.

Clark, the South African, finished second last year but the room for his post-match interview was less than half filled.

“Well,” Clark said, “I guess no one’s ever picked me to do well anywhere.”

Taylor, the local, is a hot local story, but even he knows he may be chipping on borrowed time. He admitted to glancing at the leaderboard at one point Friday and noticing a few names missing.

“I just figured they were just lurking a few shots behind,” Taylor said.

The lurk ledger has Singh two off the lead, Woods five and Mickelson only seven back.

Woods’ round was spectacularly wild and uneven -- four birdies mixed with six bogeys and eight pars.

Yeah, and so what?

“They are not going anywhere, not in these conditions,” he said of the leaders. “They are not going to go low here.”

Only one shot separated his opening rounds of 73 and 74, yet the experiences felt completely different.

“Yesterday I threw away a good round and today I salvaged a bad one,” Woods said.

Woods stayed in the game by minimizing his blunders.

He didn’t play well but kept his 74 from becoming a 78.

His tee shot on the par-three 12th came up short and rolled back into Rae’s Creek, but Woods took his drop, knocked his third shot on the green and saved bogey.

He also hit his second shot at the par-five 13th into the water but salvaged par.

He may look back on those saves if he ends up winning on Easter Sunday.

“The whole idea is never make a double [bogey] around this place,” Woods said.

Mickelson worked Augusta National like a flying Wallenda.

He walked the high wire all day but didn’t fall off. He was seven over after making bogey on the par-four 11th, a meat-grinder that handed out more bogeys (38) than any other hole.

Mickelson could have seen his chances end right there after he landed his ball in the trees.

“Thought I might have to pack my bags and go home,” he said. “But I came out with a five and made two birdies coming in.”

Yes he did, scoring fours on both the back-nine par fives at No. 13 and 15.

Mickelson described his round as though it was a sparring session.

“I fought hard with that five over,” he said.

He also knew five over meant his tournament was far from over.

“If you made the cut, I think you have a chance to win it,” he said.

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chris.dufresne@latimes.com