Haas holds firm at Masters

AUGUSTA: Bill Haas was sitting tight atop the leaderboard as he teed off in the second round of the Masters on Friday.
The 31-year-old American carded a four-under 68 on Thursday and he had the luxury of being able to sit back and see who could challenge him early on at Augusta National.
Several players tried and at one stage Australian Marc Leishman overhauled him at five under, but he promptly bogeyed the next two holes.
Major winners Bubba Watson and Louis Oosthuizen both managed to draw level with Haas, but then both dropped strokes to fall back, the South African with a triple bogey eight at the 15th.
Watson, though, came back again to get to four under through 12 holes with Kevin Stadler joining him and Haas at four under through seven.
Much of the day’s focus was on the late groupings, starting with Haas.
Tournament favorite Rory McIlroy hit a one-under 71 and said the course was the toughest he has seen on a Thursday.
Three-time champion Phil Mickelson was among the big names to struggle and had a triple bogey on the seventh in a 76.
Haas, whose great uncle Bob Goalby won the Masters in 1968, birdied the last to take an unlikely lead as he chases a first major title, although he should be able to cope with the pressure having won the $10m FedEx Cup in 2011.
“I know that I can’t expect too much,” said the son of former PGA Tour stalwart Jay Haas. “You’ve just got to go out there and keep playing golf, try to hit that fairway on number one.”
Scott, who became the first Australian to win the Green Jacket last year, went out in 33 and hit the front at four under after 10.
But his “weak” nine-iron in a swirling wind at the short 12th caught the bank in front of the green and rolled into Rae’s Creek. He found the putting surface with his third after pitching from the fairway but took two putts from five feet for a six.
The 33-year-old reached the green in two on the par-five 13th but was unable to capitalize and three-putted for par after a long wait as playing partner Jason Dufner, the US PGA champion, ran up a nine.
Scott picked up a shot on the bunkerless 14th and parred home to lay a decent platform in his quest to become only the fourth player to win back-to-back Masters after Jack Nicklaus (1965-66), Nick Faldo (1989-90) and Tiger Woods (2001-02).
“I played really well from tee to green, except for a poor shot on 12. I perhaps left a couple out there on the par fives, but it’s certainly something to build on,” said Scott.
“I think winning here calms you down. It was the calmest start I have ever had. I had a fantastic response from the patrons.”
American left-hander Watson, who beat Oosthuizen in a play-off to clinch the Green Jacket in 2012, birdied the third, 13th and 15th and parred the other 15 holes to end three under.
Former Open champion Oosthuizen, who fired a magnificent albatross two on the par-five second hole at Augusta two years ago, was three under after nine and stayed that way at the finish after an up-and-down back nine.
Rory McIlroy satisfied with ‘solid’ opening 71
McIlroy, chasing a third major title and first Masters, was two under after five but tripped up with a bogey at the long eighth to go out in 35.
He dropped another shot after three-putting the 12th from some distance but made birdies at the 13th and 15th before catching the fairway bunker up the last. He was able to make the green with his second but three-putted again from 30ft for a bogey to end in a tie for 12th.