VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS: Masters wrap – day two

By Australian Golf Digest

The amazing part about Jordan Spieth’s Friday at Augusta National is when considering everything that didn’t go right. The 74 was Spieth’s first round over par in the Masters. He had a five-shot lead at one point that was whittled down to one by day’s end.

Battling through windy conditions, where he was forced to back off shots on multiple occasions, he was put on the clock by rules officials on the most difficult part of the golf course.

So, in other words, not a perfect day. And yet thanks to a 10-foot par putt on the final hole, Spieth still left the golf course for the sixth consecutive round with a lead in the Masters. We should all have such bad days.

“I think I can use the back nine today as a learning experience,” Spieth told reporters. “It was very tough to stay cool. . . I mean, you guys try it. That was a hard golf course.”

For the Aussies, Jason Day (T15) remains at the head of the pack at 1-over par after his 73 today. Coupled, with his even-par 72 yesterday, the world No.1 sits five back of Spieth and not completely out of it.

Next best of the Aussies is youngster Cameron Smith (T33), who on debut has made the cut courtesy of a 74 and 73 leading to a 3-over total. Adam Scott, the 2013 Master champ, was the last Australian to make the cut at 4-over par in a share of 42nd. His score blew out to 6-over but rallied with two back nine birdies to make the weekend after an even-par 72.

Marc Leishman (7-over) and Steven Bowditch (17-over)  missed the cut.

But most challenging stretch for Spieth came on the 11th hole, when his group was notified of its lagging pace, and he still had to negotiate the swirling winds at Amen Corner. He walked away with a bogey on 11, and a clutch par on 12. He admits he couldn’t quibble with officials: the group was slow, but the timing was far from ideal.

“I would say have fun getting on the clock at 11 of Augusta and then play 11 and 12 rushing with gusting winds,” Spieth said. “It’s not fun.”

Rory McIlroy’s early round of 1-under 71 proved to be even better by day’s end, with Spieth losing ground on his 6-under first round lead. This Masters is shaping up to be an epic battle of the youngsters, with Rory in outright second place, a shot back at 3-under.

The rest of the leaderboard stumbled on a tough day, with Danny Lee (74) and Scott Piercy (72) sharing second place at 2-under, followed by Brandt Snedeker (72), Soren Kjeldsen (74) and Hideki Matsuyama (72) in a tie for fifth at 1-under.

Watch individual highlights below courtesy of The Masters Tournament: