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Masters: Immelman out front in Augusta

Spain’s Jose Maria Olazabal blasts out of the sand on the 13th hole during the second round of the US Masters in Augusta,Georgia, on Friday. PHOTO :AFP

Trevor Immelman emerged as the halfway leader at the Masters on Friday as Tiger Woods used an incredible finish to keep alive his bid for a fifth Augusta crown.
Immelman, who has had an arduous recovery from surgery to remove a benign tumor from his diaphragm, birdied 17 and 18 en route to his second straight 68 and an eight-under total of 136.
Woods, who arrived at Augusta supremely confident after winning seven of his last nine tournaments, blamed blustery winds as he failed to generate any real momentum for the second straight day.
Starting four adrift on even par, the world No.1 opened with a birdie, but gave the shot back at the second and did not get back into red numbers until a birdie at 17.
He took a big gamble at the last after his tee shot found the trees on the right of the fairway. He punched out away from the hole onto the neighboring 10th fairway.
Woods then muscled a shot straight toward the 18th flag. It came to a premature halt on the green when it hit the ball of playing partner Stuart Appleby.
Woods allowed himself a rare smile when he got to the green, then made his par putt to complete a 71 for a one-under total of 143.
“Oh man, it was the only shot I had. Either that or pitch out backwards and leave myself over 200 yards,” Woods said. “Great four.”
Woods said the seven shots separating him from Immelman was far from insurmountable.
“Seven back on this golf course, in these conditions, you can make that up,” he said.
The biggest 36 hole deficit overcome by a Masters champion was eight strokes, by Jack Burke in 1956. Woods himself rallied from a six-stroke halfway deficit en route to his playoff victory in 2005.
But if Woods’ previous form holds true, he will need to gain ground on the third day, since all of his 13 major titles have come when he held at least a share of the lead after the third round.
Immelman, who went out early before the winds kicked up, said he owed his lead to solid putting on the treacherous Augusta greens. He sank putts of 15 feet and 10 feet at 17 and 18.
“I really did hole some unbelievable putts out there,” Immelman said.
American Brandt Snedeker, playing his first Masters as a professional after appearing as an amateur in 2004, was in second place after a 68 for seven-under 137.
Snedeker rebounded from a bogey at 16 to finish with two birdies. At 17 he sunk a 40-foot downhill putt that he said he was just intending to get close.
At 18 he fired an eight-iron from 170 yards to 15 feet to set up his closing birdie.
World No.2 Phil Mickelson, tipped as the man most likely to deny Woods a Green Jacket and a chance at a sweep of this year’s major championships, posted a bogey-free 68 for a share of third place on five-under 139.
He was joined by fellow American Steve Flesch, who carded a five-under 67 and by England’s Ian Poulter, who came in with a 69.
Mickelson made birdies from three feet at both the second and third and picked up a stroke with a 10-footer at the eighth. He was especially pleased with his 30-foot birdie putt at 17, which followed eight straight pars.
Mickelson was also buoyed by his good fortune on 13, where for the second time in two days a shot that appeared headed for the creek stayed dry.
“I’m kind of using that as an omen as well,” Mickelson said.
Canadian Stephen Ames posted his second straight 70 for a four-under total of 140, where he was joined by England’s Paul Casey, who shot a 69.
Americans Stewart Cink (69) and Arron Oberholser (70), and former Masters champion Mike Weir of Canada (68), shared eighth place on three-under 141, while South African Retief Goosen notched his second straight 71 to head a group on 142.
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