Danny Willett gets off to bad start in second round of the Masters

Defending Masters champion Danny Willett posted a solid score on Thursday, but he started very poorly in Friday’s second round.

Amid windy conditions at Augusta National on Thursday, first round leader Charlie Hoffman threatened to lap everyone with a seven-under 65. He has come back to the field on Friday, but as of now Hoffman has maintained the lead.

Defending Masters champion Danny Willett has not really been heard from since Sunday of last year’s tournament, but he posted a solid plus-one 73 in this year’s first round. The opening hole did prove tough for him on Thursday though, as Willett put up a double-bogey six to start his quest for a second straight green jacket in dismal fashion.

Willett was surely hoping for a better result on No.1 Friday morning. After barely avoiding a bunker with his tee shot, he didn’t seem to be in too bad a position for a short second shot. But then, the weekend hacker in Willett came out in full bloom.

After shanking his second shot, going across and off the green with his third from the pine straw, stubbing his fourth and going off the front of the green with his fifth shot, Willett eventually came away with a quadruple-bogey eight on No. 1.

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Willett recovered reasonably well on Friday, but he still posted six-over 78 to put himself at +7 for the tournament and 11 shots behind current leader Hoffman. Golf Channel had the projected cut line at +5 as of this writing, so unless that shifts up again in relation to par Willett will not make the weekend. If not for the opening hole meltdown on Friday, or even with just a double-bogey like he had on Thursday, Willett would be making the current cut.