Reporting from Augusta, Ga. — It was a thought that, had it been shared by a golfer who is less earnest and thoughtful, might have come off as illogical and brash.
Jordan Spieth said on Friday that as he pondered his Masters second round in the scoring room following a two-over-par 74, he couldn’t help but think this was “nowhere near” the feeling he had last year here after 36 holes, when he led by four shots.
“I kind of like this better. I do,” Spieth said.
Did the nasty wind at Augusta National blow some brain matter out through Spieth’s ears? Is he just an unabashed adrenaline junky?
Spieth’s lead going into this year’s third round is merely one shot — and the guy who happens to be trailing him is Rory McIlroy, who is one position behind him in the world rankings. They are Mr. 2 and Mr. 3.
And in a dream matchup, they will be paired together Saturday in the final group.
Spieth admitted with a grin, “I’d rather be playing with someone less threatening, to be honest.” But he also has a reason for liking his chances under the circumstances.
“If I strike my ball the way I want to strike it,” he said, “and I kind of map my way around the course the way we do so well here, you don’t need to force anything.”
More simply put: Spieth has supreme confidence in the type of game management he showed in winning last year’s U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, and this is beginning to feel more and more like the season’s second major.
With the wind howling at least as much as it did Thursday, and the adjective “crusty” being thrown around about the greens, Augusta National Golf Club is as close to the edge of playability as the best manicured estate in golf could ever be.
McIroy’s one-under 71 tied three others for the best second-round score. For the tournament, only seven players have a total with a red number. Danny Lee (74) and Scott Piercy (72) are two shots behind at two under, followed by Brandt Snedeker (72), Soren Kjeldsen (74) and Hideki Matsuyama (72) at one under.
The conditions aren’t going to be easier for the third round. Forecasts have the wind gusting to 25 mph in the afternoon, when the leaders tee off. For Sunday, only a light breeze is expected, but the carnage will have continued before then.
“A tough old day,” said world No. 1 Jason Day, who despite shooting 73 and standing at one over is far from out of the contention. “It almost feels like we’re just trying to survive out there.”
Spieth tiptoed on the edge of disaster for much of the day. He birdied Nos. 1 and 3 only to double-bogey No. 5 with three putts from seven feet. He birdied the eighth, but gave back two with bogeys at the ninth and 10th. He birdied 15, then three-putted for bogey at 16.
There were the usual dramatic displays of emotion and the constant chatter and analysis with caddie Michael Greller.
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Danny Willett of England walks along the 15th hole during the final round of the Masters on Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth gathers his thoughts on the 18th green before finishing the final round with a one-over 73.
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Jordan Spieth presents Danny Willett the winner’s green jacket Sunday evening at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Augusta National chairman William Porter Payne presents American Bryson DeChambeau with the trophy for being the top amateur at the Masters during the awards ceremony Sunday evening.
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Masters champion Danny Willett gives the thumbs-up sign to fans after the awards ceremony at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth gets a pat on the back from caddie Michael Greller on the 18th hole after finishing second at the Masters.
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Jordan Spieth takes a second drop on the 12th hole after one of the two times his shots landed in Rae’s Creek while hitting approach shots there during the final round of the Masters tournament.
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Jordan Spieth plays his second shot on the 11th hole from the trees during the final round of the Masters on Sunday.
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Danny Willett reacts after making a putt at No. 14 on Sunday during the final round of the Masters.
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Hideki Matsuyama of Japan chips onto a green during the final round of the Masters on Sunday.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot out of the bunker during the final round of the Masters.
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Lee Westwood of England reacts after making an eagle on the 15th hole during the final round of the Masters.
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Jason Day of Australia reacts after playing a shot Sunday during the final round of the Masters.
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Patrons leave Augusta National Golf Club after the third round of the Masters.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot onto the 16th green during third round of the Masters.
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Bernhard Lange tips his cap to the crowd after putting out at No. 18 during the third round of the Masters on Saturday.
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Jordan Spieth walks out of the trees along the 18th fairway after hitting a recovery shot during the third round of the Masters.
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Jordan Spieth hits out of the rough along the 17th fairway Saturday during the third round of the Masters.
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Hideki Matsuyama of Japan plays his second shot on the 12th hole during the third round of the Masters.
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Rory McIlroy reacts to a missed birdie putt on the 17th green during the third round of the Masters.
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Sergio Garcia of Spain lines up a putt on the 13th green during the third round of the Masters.
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American Scott Piercy creates a splash of sand as he hits out of a bunker during the third round of the Masters.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the 17th tee during the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy hits out of a bunker on the 18th green during Round 1 of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Ian Poulter, of England, reacts after missing a putt on the first hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Danny Lee, of New Zealand, hits a drive on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Mike Weir of Canada hit out of a bunker on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jason Day, of Australia, watches his drive on the second hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Charl Schwartzel, of South Africa, hits out of a bunker on the fourth hole during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Patrons walk along the first fairway before the start of play during the second round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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A scorekeeper peers through a hole from behind a board during Round 1 of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Martin Kaymer of Germany down the fairway on the fifteenth hole during the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
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Australia’s Steven Bowditch putts on 1st hole during Round 1 of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club in April. (DON EMMERT / AFP/Getty Images)
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Rickie Fowler hits out of the rough off the first fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth hits on the second fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Victor Dubuisson of France and caddie Leonard Francois walk up the third fairway during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Amateur Bryson DeChambeau tees off on the third hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jordan Spieth lines up a putt on the first hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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A scorekeeper places numbers on a leaderboard during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jack Nicklaus waves before hitting a ceremonial first tee shot before the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Steven Bowditch of Australia celebrates after chipping in a birdie on the first hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Lee Westwood of England chips on the second hole during the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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A sign bearing the names of the honorary starters Gary Player of South Africa, Jack Nicklaus of the U.S. and Arnold Palmer of the U.S. before they ceremonially open the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player together on the first tee at the ceremonially opening of the first round of the 2016 Masters Tournament.
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Patrons wait for the gates to open near the first fairway before the start of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Patrons file onto the course after the gates are opened near the first fairway before the start of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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Spectators line a fairway to watch the first round of the 80th Masters Golf Tournament at the Augusta National Golf Club.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press) “It was tough to stay cool,” Spieth said, smiling. “It’s a lot easier said than done. You could say, ‘Looked like you got emotional out there.’ I mean, you guys try it. That was a hard golf course.”
McIlroy’s round wasn’t any less eventful. He also birdied two of the first three, but more than gave it back with a double-bogey at No. 4 and a bogey at No. 5. Slipping all the way to even par through 11, McIlroy birdied the 13th, 15th and 16th. He made a tremendous par save from the trees on 18.
“You can’t ignore the scoreboard,” McIlroy said. “I think at one point I was six or seven shots back of Jordan. It just goes to show you how quickly things can change, especially on this golf course and [in] these conditions.”
It was five years ago that McIlroy led by one going into the back nine on Sunday, made a triple-bogey at 10 and collapsed with an 80. That came in benign conditions.
“I’ve been on the opposite end of that, where things can start to get away from you,” McIlroy said. “But that gives me confidence that if you are a little behind, you can definitely make a comeback.”
McIlroy and Spieth — who can be considered more acquaintances than friends — have played 12 previous rounds together on the PGA Tour. The Irishman holds the head-to-head edge, besting his American rival six times, with two ties. McIlroy holds nearly a two-stroke scoring-average advantage — 69.75 to 71.67.
Predictably, both downplayed the drama of two of the world’s best paired on the weekend of the world’s most famous golf tournament.
“I’m looking at the number on the very far right of the leaderboard just to see how many shots I’m back,” McIlroy said. “Doesn’t make a difference to me who is up there.”
Good luck ignoring Spieth on Saturday.
