DJ finally brings his exceptional game to the Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) a' Dustin Johnson features a game that fits perfectly with Augusta National. He eventually brought it with him to the Masters. Johnson got a share of the lead Friday with back-to-back birdies across the turn, pulling in to a link with 18-hole co-leader Marc Leishman at 6-under par. Sergio Garcia, who had been tied with Leishman, slipped back after making three bogeys within the first 11 holes a' rather a change from the previous day, when he'd his first bogey-free round at Augusta since 2002 on his method to a 6-under 66. Meantime, 14-year-old Guan Tianlang held up his stable play after a beginning 73, playing his first 15 pockets Friday at 2 over. That gave him an attempt at making the cut, which may end up like a gain for anyone in the eighth grade. Johnson's booming energy and ability to hit large, right-to-left images, would seem to make him an all natural to contend at Augusta. But this is the one key where he is never been much of a factor, his greatest end in three previous looks a tie for 30th. He missed last year's Masters after hurting his straight back lifting a jet ski. "I have played OKAY within the past, not great," Johnson said. "It seems good. I've been working hard on the game the last month or so." A native of Columbia, S.C., just an hour or so east of Augusta, he is usually considered the Masters his beloved tournament. Therefore, why has it been a bit of difficult in other years? "This is one particular classes, the more you enjoy it, the more you become familiar with it," Johnson said. "When you get in trouble, you type of know where you need to strike it so you have to be able to get up-and-down, or you know what part of the fairway to miss it on at particular flags. Everytime you play here, you learn anything concerning the tennis course." Garcia has always had more of a love-hate relationship with this particular area, and his mood was having a turn for the worse when he fought Friday to follow up his brilliant opening round. He bogeyed the 350-yard third hole a' the smallest par-4 on the course, slipped another swing at the par-3 fourth and slipped again along with his third bogey of the round at the 11th. In the process, he dropped three strokes behind Johnson and Leishman, an Australian who teed down right around lunch and held up his strong play with three straight pars. Of course, there's still quite a distance to go before the contenders are sorted out. Padraig Harrington, the overwhelming beloved and right in the thick of things after starting with a 70, was among the last players to tee off Friday. He's been cheered on by his girlfriend, Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn. While a lot of eyes were on Woods and Vonn, the most powerful story Friday might be the youngest player in the field a heck, the youngest player in Masters history. "The people listed below are good, rooting for me personally, and I feel comfortable on the course," Guan said Thursday. One of his playing partners was certainly impressed. Two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw led the cheers for Guan, and the youngster depended heavily on the 61-year-old for advice as he made his way around Augusta. "He enjoyed about four of the very beautiful, fine pitches you've ever seen," Crenshaw said. "It should help to have 14-year-old nerves. I am letting you know, he played such as a veteran." Speaking of experts, Fred Couples, the 53-year-old wonder playing his beloved event, was right in the thick of things again. He opened with a and was still at 4 under through 12 pockets Friday, only two strokes off the cause. Rickie Fowler also opened with a, while 2011 Master champ Charl Schwartzel surged in to rivalry Friday with an eagle at the 2nd and a birdie on the next hole to make it to 4 under. Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk, Brandt Snedeker and Justin Rose were among those joining Garcia at 3 below. The 2nd round began under gloomy skies, after overnight water soaked the course. There was another round of baths for the early participants, but the sunlight broke through around noon and the temperature was likely to rise in to the upper 70s. The rating chances were clearly more limited than they were the afternoon before, when lots of people took benefit of their delicate circumstances. And Follow Paul Newberry at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

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