68°F
weather icon Clear

Jordan Spieth sets 36-hole Masters record on day 2

Jordan Spieth, on a day his mentor Ben Crenshaw played his final round in the Masters, slipped one arm in his first Green Jacket and threatened to run away with it.

The 21-year-old phenom followed his opening 8-under-par 64 with a bogey-free 66 to set a 36-hole Masters record at 14-under 130, set a major championship record for score in relation to par and tie the major record of 130 after two rounds at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.

Spieth barely missed a seven-foot birdie putt on the final hole, but finished with six birdies for the day and 15 birdies for 36 holes, against only one bogey.

After Friday’s round, Spieth was asked in an interview with CBS-TV what his biggest obstacle would be this weekend.

“Scoreboard watching,” he said. “Just need to keep my head down, need to set a goal for myself.

“Who knows what can happen on the weekend here? I’m sure they don’t really like seeing really low scores, so they might speed the greens up a little bit tomorrow.”

Only Charley Hoffman was in hailing distance at four strokes back through 16 holes after making three consecutive birdies through No. 14.

Ernie Els of South Africa, a four-time major champion who has never won the Masters, was nine shots back in solo third after a 72.

Speith’s score of 130 broke Raymond Floyd’s Masters 36-hole mark of 131 set in 1976, and his 14-under total set a major championship record.

Nick Faldo posted 130 in the 1992 Open Championship at Muirfield, and that mark was equaled by Brandt Snedeker in the 2012 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, and Martin Kaymer last year in the U.S. at Pinehurst No. 2.

Those three scores came on courses that did not play to a par of 72, as Augusta does.

Spieth planned to wait behind the 18th green to watch Crenshaw, 63, who won the Masters in 1984 and 1995, finish his 44th Masters.

Tiger Woods, playing for the first time since February, was 3-under for the day and 2-under for the tournament after 16 holes in a tie for 12th.

“Last year (second in the Masters) and the momentum from the last few weeks definitely helped,” Spieth said. “I’m just striking the ball week. This is a special place and it’s just a privilege to be here. I played a practice round with Mr. Crenshaw the other day, the back nine, and Tiger joined us. It was so cool.”

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
 
Summerlin golf course sells for $30.5M

The Jack Nicklaus-designed course in Summerlin South has sold to a company connected to some prominent names.