AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The scoring got easier, and Justin Rose got worse.
That is often how golf works.
For the Englishman who missed the last five weeks, an opening-round 65 came as a surprise. His follow-up 72 allowed a lot more players to stay in contention through two rounds of the Masters. Rose overcame a shaky start to play his last six holes in 3 under par and end the day where he started at 7 under par.
His total of 137 was leading Australia's Marc Leishman and Jordan Spieth by two strokes, with Justin Thomas and Tony Finau another stroke back.