Fowler joins Garcia in 4-way tie at the top in Masters

Rickie Fowler only wanted to make sure the wind didn’t blow him away over two tough rounds at the Masters.

More than just survive Friday, he posted a 5-under-par 67 that gave him a share of the lead for the first time in a major.

The wind began to subside as the pines cast long shadows across the course late in the afternoon, and the forecast is close to perfection for the rest of the weekend, with mild temperatures and hardly any wind.

Fifteen players were separated by a mere five shots going into the weekend, a group that includes Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, and even 57-year-old Fred Couples.

Fowler began his move early by holing a bunker shot for eagle on the second hole, and even a bogey from the water behind the green on the par-5 15th green didn’t ruin his day.

Garcia, playing his 70th consecutive major and still looking for that first victory to define an otherwise strong career, wasn’t the least bit bothered by seeing the wrong score for him on a leaderboard behind the 13th green when a penalty for a lost ball was mistakenly attributed to him.

Hoffman will be in the final group going into the weekend at the Masters for the second time in three years, with one big difference.

Couples, the 1992 champion, had consecutive birdies on the second and third holes.

Couples made par and went on to his only major title.

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson had a dreadful 78 and, at 8-over par and missed the cut.

Watson had a brief flourish, with consecutive birdies on the eighth and ninth holes.

Yet three more bogeys on the back nine appeared to have sealed his fate.

[...] missing the cut was defending champion Danny Willett, who began the second round with a snowman — taking an 8 on the opening hole.

The misfortune began when his tee shot did not go in the bunker right of the fairway.

[...] it rolled off the green back into the fairway.

(E) Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott