The Masters: day two at Augusta – live updates

“I have no idea where that ball went.” That’s never the best sign, right? Yes, it’s the always entertaining and always commentating Jordan Spieth, coming off a birdie at 13 while trying to fix a round that started dismally with a double bogey at Tea Olive. He’s currently +1, but he just sent his second to the back of 14. Fortunately, his caddy kept his eye on the ball, and Spieth has a Seve-like ability to get out of the tightest spots, but that will be an up-and-down test. Meanwhile, Nicolai Hojgaard parries the last and signs for a 67.

-7: DeChambeau (F)
-6: Scheffler (F)
-5: Hojgaard (F)
-4: Willett (F), Homa (15)

The couples of the second round have started. No one in the early games bothered the upper reaches of the leaderboard… except Cameron Davis, who nearly drains a 30-footer over 1 for his birdie. Just a par and the 28-year-old Aussie remains at -3. As for the pairings in the first round… “A bit disappointed in the groupings,” sighs Adam Hirst. “It was so close. Scheffler and Schauffele had Shipley (A) as the better option. Could also have had Fleetwood, Woods and Woodland. Opportunities missed.”

Tyrrell Hatton sends another ball into the water. Luckily, this one is just thrown into the pond in a fit of rage at the age of 16, after missing a six-foot bounceback birdie attempt and then tapping home. But it stays at -1 and gets a little hot. He’s Tyrrell Hatton, from class he gets a little hot, that’s why we like watching him so much.

Only three players have won the Masters on their debut. Horton Smith at the very first tournament in 1934; Well, someone had to. Gene Sarazen in the second Masters the following year, when there was a good chance something like this would happen. And then Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, when it was much less of a statistical shoo-in. So unlike the great pants debate, we have plenty of data to work with here: it doesn’t happen that often. But could it happen this year? Nicolai Hojgaard was busy firing darts at the par fives yesterday afternoon, and he sent another laser iron to 17. He doesn’t quite make the 15-footer for birdie that he leaves behind, but if he keeps playing like this, he’ll have plenty more opportunities to come his way. It remains at -5, and while there is still an awfully long way to go, it looks like the game will flourish here.

PANTS NEWS: After breaking the internet yesterday with his 1990s wide-breaks, Jason Day has a right leg today. The 2011 runner-up is level par through 14. Kurt Kitayama favors a more tapered fit, and he just birdied 16 to move to -2. What does this mean? Unsure. Tiger won the 1997 Masters by a record twelve strokes in what was essentially chinos. When someone pairs their green jacket with jeggings or a tennis skirt, we have more data to work with.

Morning misery for Tyrrell Hatton too. He dumps his approach on 15 in the salty, and therefore suffers a double bogey seven. He drops to -1 in the rankings.

A cold start for Tiger Woods. He makes a great drive into the middle of 14, but throws a miserable chip 20 yards from the green. His chip-up isn’t that much either, and two putts later he walks away with a bogey and drops back to level par.

There are 27 players completing their opening rounds this morning. Nicolai Hojgaard is at the top of the leaderboard, having opened with par at the par-three 16th to remain at -5. He had to work for it, though, after sending a clearly average tee shot to 40 feet. (Many players came super close yesterday.) He left his first putt eight feet short, but made up for it with a rock-solid save.

The weather played a big role at Augusta National yesterday morning and that’s why we’re playing catch-up now. But customers don’t have to worry! The weather forecast for today is sunny and dry, and we will be back on schedule by the end of the day. The weekend promises to offer perfect Masters weather: plenty of sun, with temperatures up to 27°C on Sunday. The most beautiful tournament of the most beautiful match and the weather to match. Sweet iced tea all-round!

Preamble