Day leads after Guan slow play storm

Australian claims 36-hole lead following 14-year-old’s controversial penalty

Good Day: Australian ace Jason Day is leading the Masters by one shot at the halfway stage

Jason Day stormed into the lead for the Masters at the halfway stage but the Australian’s stunning back nine charge was overshadowed by the slow play penalty conferred upon 14-year-old Guan Tianlang.

Guan, the youngest player ever to compete in the season’s first major, had one shot added to his score on the 17th hole after failing to respond to warnings to quicken his pace.

To his credit, the Chinese prodigy handled the decision with class and maturity, saying: “I respect the decision. This is what they can do.”

However, many were outraged at the decision to penalise Guan, the first player to be hit with a slow play penalty since Gregory Bourdy in the 2010 PGA Championship.

His playing partner, two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw, said: “This is not going to end pretty. I’m sick for him. I feel terrible. He is 14-years-old. I’m so sorry this has happened.”

Former European Tour star Tony Johnstone was one of the many players who took to Twitter to voice their disapproval of the decision. He tweeted: “Guan penalty is a mind blower. Rules apply to everyone but pros know how to work the system. Players here who have escaped for years. Poor kid.”

bunkered readers also weighed into the debate as #Guan began to trend on Twitter. Gavin Speedie (@GavinSpeedie) wrote: “Shocking decision, he can’t be the only one today, don’t think his group had lost any ground on the one in front.”

Stuart Douglas (@stu_douglass11) added: “Technically correct. It’s been a problem for years but to make example out of the smallest in stature in the game is wrong.”

Ross Murdoch (@cafebrouge) sided with the officials, however. “If he’d been warned a number of times, then it’s his own fault. Harsh but seems fair,” he tweeted.

Guan yersel’: Chinese star Guan Tianlang was given a one-shot penalty for slow play

Fortunately for all concerned, the penalty didn’t cost Guan his place in the final two rounds, Day heading the tournament on six-under-par keeping the youngster within ten shots of the lead.

Day, bidding to become the first Australian to win the Masters, had four birdies and one bogey on his back nine en route to a 68. That, allied to his opening two-under-par round of 70, was enough to see him take a one-shot lead into the weekend ahead of compatriot Marc Leishman and 1992 champion Fred Couples.

The 25-year-old, who finished runner-up at Augusta in 2011, admitted that he would be thrilled to end his country’s long wait for a Masters champion.

“Obviously there’s a lot of pressure on my shoulders, being from Australia and no Australian has ever won the event,” he said. “They have been very, very close, but I’ve just got to try to get that out of my mind and just plug away.”

The 2009 champion, Angel Cabrera, is a further shot back, alongside reigning FedEx Cup champion Brandt Snedeker and Jim Furyk.

Tiger Woods coughed up a share of the lead as he struggled for position on his back nine. The four-time Masters champion bogeyed the 18th to fall back into a group of players on three-under-par, whilst Rory McIlroy recovered from two bogeys in his opening three holes to finish on two-under-par.

Dustin Johnson, who at one stage led the tournament on seven-under-par, had a horror finish to his round and sits on one-under-par, whilst Sergio Garcia, the co-leader after the first round,

The ten-shot cut rule saw a total of 61 players make the cut, with several high-profile names missing out. Louis Oosthuizen, beaten in a play-off for the Green Jacket last year, will have to wait another year to avenge that disappointment after finishing on six-over-par.

Also going home early are Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Webb Simpson and Padraig Harrington. Hunter Mahan, Nicolas Colsaerts and Glasgow-man Martin Laird are amongst the others who missed the cut.

However, Paul Lawrie and Sandy Lyle ensured there will be some Scottish representation over the weekend. Lawrie rallied well after a poor opening round to post a 70 and get to two-over, whilst 1988 champion Lyle is one shot better off after following up his first round 73 with a level-par 72.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor