Henley fights his way through Masters second round

For the third time in his four Masters trips, Russell Henley will be playing on the weekend at Augusta National Golf Club.

After a tough second round played in difficult conditions Friday, Henley was happy with his game so far this week.

Henley had one birdie and five bogeys Friday to finish his round at 4-over-par 76, and he will enter the weekend at 3 over (after shooting a 71 in the first round). Henley has six birdies and nine bogeys through the first two rounds, which have been played in strong winds.

“I feel like I’m playing great,” Henley said. “Just going to keep trying to play with feel, and it’s been working this year, things have been working. Just go out there and try to make as many birdies as I can.”

Making birdies should be easier this weekend after the gusty conditions that hit the course Thursday and Friday calm down. Henley had his only birdie Friday on the second hole. That was sandwiched in between bogeys on the first and third holes. He also had bogeys on Nos. 7, 11 and 16. Henley bogeyed No. 11 for the second straight day.

“It’s so tough.,” Henley said of judging shots in the strong winds. “(On) 11, I hit a bomb drive down the middle, and I hit a 7-iron right where I was looking (into the green), and it flew about 15 yards farther than I thought I could. It was just tough. (On) 16, I hit it right over the flag and made bogey there. I played really well, I just didn’t get much out of it.

Henley missed the cut in his first Masters appearance in 2013, but he finished tied for 31st in 2014 and 21st in 2015. He will tee off at 12:50 p.m. on Saturday in the third round and will play with Brendan Steele.

They are seven shots off the lead.

“It’s just hard to get the distance right,” Henley said. “(On) 18, I thought I was playing too much club in, and on that one, I hit a wind gust and was short of the green. It’s just hard, hard to get the distance right.”

This story was originally published April 7, 2017 at 5:26 PM with the headline "Henley fights his way through Masters second round."