Every golfer who shows up at Augusta dreams of winning the Masters, but making the cut remains the first order of business. There were several stars who struggled in the opening round and will need to pick up the pace on day two to ensure they play on the weekend.
Let's take a look at three players who were viewed as contenders coming into the season's first major, but now need a strong showing on Friday to get back in the mix.
For a complete look at the leaderboard, visit the tournament's official site.
Adam Scott (plus-3)
Scott won't be a happy camper entering the second round at three-over par, but it could have been a lot worse. An eagle on the eighth hole and some nice saves on the back nine stopped him from having a truly dreadful Thursday.
He finished second in the Masters last year, so fans already know his game matches up well with the course. It's just a matter of execution. The Australian had a strong run at the end of last season, but wasn't able to carry over the momentum.
Since nobody has started to run away with the event yet, one solid round will get Scott back in a promising position. A performance similar to his 66 at the Cadillac Championship last month would do the trick.
Luke Donald (plus-3)
Another major tournament, the same old story for Donald. The world's top-ranked golfer never brings his elite form to the most important events, and that makes his ranking hollow. It's tough to consider him the best without a major.
The problem isn't physical—his all-around game is virtually unmatched. Rather, he can't seem to get his mental approach fixed. With every passing major that he doesn't finish up to expectations, the monkey on his back continues to grow.
Missing the cut would do untold damage to his psyche, so it's important for him to rebound on Friday with a good day. It all starts with his approach shots. He ranks first on the PGA Tour in putting, which gives himself a chance to rally if he can give himself reasonable looks on the green.
Jason Day (plus-4)
Day was having a good season prior to the Masters. He finished second against a strong field at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters and had recorded three straight top-20 finishes. However, you wouldn't have been able to tell that based on his four-over in Round 1.
To get back on track, he must start hitting the fairway. His length off the tee should give him plenty of chances for birdies and even eagles on par fives, but that won't be possible if he finds the rough. There really isn't much more to it than that for Day.
He's been playing too well for him to lose his way after one bad round, so expect a solid bounce-back performance on Friday. While he likely fell too far back to win, there's still enough time to post a respectable finish.
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