[Phil McDade]

Some interesting stats from the first two rounds of the Masters this year:

http://www.masters.com/en_US/scores/stats/index.html

-- Through two rounds, the back nine has played a half-stroke harder than the front nine.

-- Six of the nine hardest holes at Augusta through two rounds have been on the back nine (11, 12, 14, 10, 18, and 17) with 11 playing the most difficult and more than a full half-stroke over par.

-- None of the four par 5s are playing particularly easier than the others; the scoring range on them ranges from 4.74 to 4.76, a negligible difference.

-- The easiest par 3 on the course can be found on the back nine (16) but it has nearly as many over-par scores as birdies (27 to 28).

Will we hear the roars on the back nine this year? Or does someone with a lead going into the final nine have the upper hand if he can simply grind out pars?

[Jim Nugent]

Phil, the averages for all Masters are 36.96 on the front, and 37.21 on the back.  Almost exactly the same as this year so far, which the Masters website currently gives as 36.93 and 37.29.

Also, through all Masters the back nine has 7 of the ten toughest holes, including the top 3.  Again, pretty much what we see so far this year.   

Yesterday Bubba birdied five holes in a row on the back.  It can still be had. 

[Patrick_Mucci]

Phil,

I think you have to consider the identities of the golfers who made those charges.

I think it's more about the golfer than the golf course.

[Greg Tallman]

This cast of characters might make for a very wild ride late tomorrow afternoon

[Mark Bourgeois]

These numbers are irrelevant to the question: they just tell us what the field is doing. It takes only one golfer to make a charge. I would look at the trend over the years of 30s shot on the back nine.

[Greg Tallman]

These numbers are irrelevant to the question: they just tell us what the field is doing. It takes only one golfer to make a charge. I would look at the trend over the years of 30s shot on the back nine.

Mark, I would offer that as often as not the charge was accompanied by, perhaps caused or at least became legend due to another's collapse or missteps and thus the "charge" is usually a two person (or more) scenario.

[Tom_Doak]

Looking at the scoring averages for the first two rounds doesn't necessarily mean a lot ... Augusta is all about the hole locations on each given day, and the hole locations could make the back nine easier on Sunday.

All the lengthening and tightening has made it a harder golf course than it once was, so it's a bit harder to charge and a bit easier to collapse.  I think that's a loss, personally.  But it's not so much of a change that "it will never happen again".

[Tim_Cronin]

Looking at the scoring averages for the first two rounds doesn't necessarily mean a lot ... Augusta is all about the hole locations on each given day, and the hole locations could make the back nine easier on Sunday.

All the lengthening and tightening has made it a harder golf course than it once was, so it's a bit harder to charge and a bit easier to collapse.  I think that's a loss, personally.  But it's not so much of a change that "it will never happen again".

After the Zach Johnson dullfest on Sunday a few years ago, the lords of Augusta began to shorten some holes on Sunday to go with the traditional pins. It should be plenty loud tomorrow. Bubba alone could charge, fall back and charge again.

[Phil McDade]

Of the 13 players under par, they collectively were -7 on the day on the back nine, and -- looking at it one way -- out-early Jiminez and Fowler were responsible for all of that (Jiminez was -4 on the back nine; Fowler -3).

One might characterize that as a grind-fest.

[Ronald Montesano]

Bubba had a five-birdie run on Friday's back nine.

Patrick M. is correct when he reminds it's the golfer, not the course.

Of the top fourteen (those under par) none stands out as a potential charger. Only Bubba and Fred have experienced victory at ANGC. Furyk has a major, as does Rose. Woodland served notice today that the pitfalls for the untested (and that includes the caddies) are alive and well.

If you want a charger (and I don't have this information handy) look to the caddie with the best track record at Augusta. It will be the bag man who works with the player to get through the madness.

Maybe that means Furyk, finally?

[Sven Nilsen]

Ron:

Where does Jimenez fit into your rubric? 

The only thing that could rattle him is if they run out of red wine in Augusta tonight.

Sven

[Phil McDade]

Ron:

Where does Jimenez fit into your rubric? 

The only thing that could rattle him is if they run out of red wine in Augusta tonight.

Sven

Or Cubans. (He probably brings those on his own.... )

[Terry Lavin]

A back nine run would mean turning off the Sub-Air and at least syringing the greens. I don't think they're gonna soften anything other than Bubba's head.

[David_Tepper]

It was just 3 years ago that Charl Schwarzel birdied the last 4 holes in a row (I think) to win the tournament. It has happened before and it will happen again.

[Dan Herrmann]

They were syringing the 6th green late yesterday (could see it on TV from a shot from 16 tee).  This could foretell exciting times today.

[Phil McDade]

When was the last time we saw a back nine on Sunday at Augusta this dull? Zach Johnson's come-from-behind win in 2007 was better drama.

The front nine sure was fun ; proves this thesis?

[Jim_Kennedy]

Nicklaus' was the last (I believe), and the last we'll probably ever see. Can't imagine that ANGC will go back in time with their back nine.  

[Ryan Coles]

Nicklaus' was the last (I believe), and the last we'll probably ever see. Can't imagine that ANGC will go back in time with their back nine.  

Mickelson has made a couple to win.

And although not American, charl schwartzel did birdie the last 4 holes in 2011.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Nicklaus' was the last (I believe), and the last we'll probably ever see. Can't imagine that ANGC will go back in time with their back nine.  

Mickelson has made a couple to win.

And although not American, charl schwartzel did birdie the last 4 holes in 2011.

How quickly we I forget.
I was thinking of Nicklaus and Player each shooting 30 to win, with Player coming from 7 shots back, and as with Player - we won't hold Schwarzel's nationality against him.     

[Tim_Cronin]

It was great stuff if you think about it. Watson applied the knockout punch on the 13th. Spieth couldn't answer. Blixt the same. Sometimes one guy dominates. This time, it happened to be the guy in front. Nobody else in the last 11 groups broke 70, while he scored 69. Reminded me of the 1991 PGA at Crooked Stick, where another big hitter, John Daly, started the day in the lead and stayed there when he had the best round of the last 16-odd players.

[Matthew Rose]

Do you think having the entire 18 shown on TV now has killed some of the drama? I felt like by the time the leaders got to 10, I'd been watching for hours already and was kind of bored.

It seems like today all the really good stuff happened early, and the tournament was basically over when Spieth rinsed it on 12.

[Phil McDade]

It was great stuff if you think about it. Watson applied the knockout punch on the 13th. Spieth couldn't answer. Blixt the same. Sometimes one guy dominates. This time, it happened to be the guy in front. Nobody else in the last 11 groups broke 70, while he scored 69. Reminded me of the 1991 PGA at Crooked Stick, where another big hitter, John Daly, started the day in the lead and stayed there when he had the best round of the last 16-odd players.

Tim:

All the fun stuff in the last round happened on the front nine -- thus the query of this thread! Spieth's early birdies, Watson matching Spieth's 2s at holes #4 and #6, the two-shot swing on 8, then another on 9 -- all with the kind of birdies-with-good-shots/bogeys-with-loose-play that historically has been more characteristic of Augusta's back nine. While Bubba's drive on 13 may have been the shot of the tournament (has anyone ever played from that spot on Augusta's 13th fairway at the Masters? I kind of  doubt it....), it didn't really do much other than set him up for a boring two-putt par birdie (anyone hitting gap wedges into par 5s for a second shot is playing a different par than anyone else) that extended his lead. Jiminez was the only player who showed much of a pulse on the back nine, and by the time he got his game going he was 7 off the lead.

Maybe the back nine -- to play off Ran's thread -- is more subject to hard scoring under F&F, windy conditions experience at Augusta this year.

[Ryan Coles]

What windy conditions?

[Phil McDade]

What windy conditions?

Well, the wind clearly had an impact on play Thursday, and it seemed to be pretty decent today -- not Open Championship wind, but a decent wind. Bubba clearly missed a shot early on the front nine due to his mis-calculation of how the wind would impact the flight of his ball.

Kostis made an interesting comment today during the broadcast -- he said the ice storm (that brought down Ike's tree) had resulted in less-uniform, more precarious wind patterns that made conditions more unpredictable.

[Matthew Petersen]

It was great stuff if you think about it. Watson applied the knockout punch on the 13th. Spieth couldn't answer. Blixt the same. Sometimes one guy dominates. This time, it happened to be the guy in front. Nobody else in the last 11 groups broke 70, while he scored 69. Reminded me of the 1991 PGA at Crooked Stick, where another big hitter, John Daly, started the day in the lead and stayed there when he had the best round of the last 16-odd players.

Tim:

All the fun stuff in the last round happened on the front nine -- thus the query of this thread! Speith's early birdies, Watson matching Speith's 2s at holes #4 and #6, the two-shot swing on 8, then another on 9 -- all with the kind of birdies-with-good-shots/bogeys-with-loose-play that historically has been more characteristic of Augusta's back nine. While Bubba's drive on 13 may have been the shot of the tournament (has anyone ever played from that spot on Augusta's 13th fairway at the Masters? I kind of  doubt it....), it didn't really do much other than set him up for a boring two-putt par birdie (anyone hitting gap wedges into par 5s for a second shot is playing a different par than anyone else) that extended his lead. Jiminez was the only player who showed much of a pulse on the back nine, and by the time he got his game going he was 7 off the lead.

Maybe the back nine -- to play off Ran's thread -- is more subject to hard scoring under F&F, windy conditions experience at Augusta this year.

Phil, I'm sure many people have played from that spot on 13. Their third shot, but still ...

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