Live coverage continues from Augusta National on day two of The Masters 2026, with early second-round action producing a mix of momentum swings, close misses and steady starts across the field.
Wyndham Clark had a birdie chance at the sixth that looked destined to drop. His putt started on a straight line and seemed to be tracking perfectly before drifting a touch right at the last moment and missing out. Even so, he remains at three under par for both the round and the tournament, and he is still very much in contention.
Clark’s run of consecutive birdies ended at five, but he responded by finding the centre of the green at the sixth with his tee shot, using the slope to help carry the ball toward the front-left flag. That should leave him a strong opportunity for another birdie, with a putt from about 18 feet. On Augusta’s subtle putting surfaces, there is no such thing as an easy look, but it is about as straightforward as these greens allow.
He is no longer the only player under par for the round. Im Sungjae, who finished second on debut in the November Masters of 2020, made birdies at the seventh and eighth to move into red figures on the day. He is three over overall, but his second round has given him a foothold after an encouraging start.
Freddie Couples also found some momentum early, birdieing the second to move back to five over. The veteran’s opening day was undone by a difficult stretch at holes 15, 16 and 17, where he went quadruple bogey, double bogey and double bogey. At 66, he remains a popular presence at Augusta, and the harsh late-afternoon conditions on Thursday clearly caught up with him.
There was also a composed start from Aaron Rai, the Par 3 Contest winner, as he began his second round with control and confidence. He found the first green in regulation at Tea Olive and rolled a long birdie putt just past the hole. Rai stays at one under after his opening-round 71, a score that could have been lower after he went out in 33 yesterday.
Early themes from round two
The second round at Augusta National has already highlighted how quickly the leaderboard can shift. A player who looks poised to mount a charge can be stopped by one missed putt, while others can recover quickly with a timely birdie. Clark’s near-miss at six was a reminder of how fine the margins are, and Rai’s steady beginning showed the value of patience on a course that rarely gives anything away.
For Im Sungjae, the birdies at seven and eight may prove important as he tries to climb back into stronger position after an uneven opening day. For Couples, even a single birdie can bring some relief after a bruising finish to his first round. And for Clark, the issue is less about whether he is playing well and more about whether he can keep converting enough chances to stay near the top.
As play continues, attention remains fixed on the official leaderboard and the unfolding story of the second round. Augusta often rewards the patient and punishes the careless, and the early stages of day two have already offered both examples.
More updates will follow as the round develops.
