Golf-Johnson grabs four-way share of early second round Masters lead

World number three Justin Thomas, without a top-10 finish in four Masters appearances, made four straight birdies going into the turn to share the lead but fell back after a double-bogey at the par-four first hole, his 10th, following an errant tee shot. But Thomas, one of the best iron players, kept calm and made three birdies the rest of the way.

Dustin Johnson overcame a two-hole blip and made a closing birdie to move into a four-way share of the second-round Masters clubhouse lead on Friday with Justin Thomas, Australian Cameron Smith and Mexican debutant Abraham Ancer. Johnson, who finished the darkness-interrupted first round in a three-way share of the lead on Friday, had a short break and returned a two-under-par 70 to reach nine under on the week at Augusta National Golf Club.

The long-hitting Johnson began his round on the back nine and quickly pulled away with three straight birdies through Amen Corner for a three-shot cushion but then made his first bogeys of the week on the next two holes. Johnson, looking to become the first world number one to win the Masters since Tiger Woods in 2002, three-putted from 32 feet at the par-four 14th and found the water with his approach at the par-five 15th to take the shine off his fast start.

"Just stay patient," Johnson said of his mindset after the two bogeys. "I knew I was swinging well, I knew I was going to have some good looks and still had lot of holes ahead of me." Johnson, a runner-up in last year's Masters who tested positive for COVID-19 in October amid one of the best stretches of golf in his career, steadied the ship and rifled off a string of pars until capping his round in style with a birdie.

Smith was one over for the round when he reached the par-five 15th where made an eagle followed by three straight birdies for a four-under-par 68 that gave him a share of the lead. A confident Ancer, who had never stepped foot on the Augusta National layout until last week, overcame an opening bogey with six birdies the rest of the way for a five-under-par 67.

"It's been fun, I don't know what's clicked," said Ancer. World number three Justin Thomas, without a top-10 finish in four Masters appearances, made four straight birdies going into the turn to share the lead but fell back after a double-bogey at the par-four first hole, his 10th, following an errant tee shot.

But Thomas, one of the best iron players, kept calm and made three birdies the rest of the way. Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy, in need of a Masters win to complete the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors, shook off an opening 75 with a bogey-free, six-under-par 66.

Paul Casey, who was in a three-way share of the lead after the opening round, was even par after seven holes and will be unable to finish the second round before play is suspended given the decreased November daylight. Defending champion Tiger Woods, who was three back after the opening round, also went out late and was even par after four holes.