Danny Lee struggles with putter but maintains leaderboard spot

It wasn’t as efficient a day for Danny Lee after a memorable first round, but his name remains near the top entering the weekend.

Lee struggled at times with the putter and dropped two shots down the stretch, resulting in 2-over-par 74 in the second round Friday.

He will tee off today at 2-under in his first Masters Tour­nament as a professional.

After an opening-round 68 vaulted him into a tie for second, he followed up on the second day with three birdies and some scrambling at Amen Corner. He made the field as an amateur in 2009 but missed the cut.

“I’m just happy,” Lee said. “My score is still red, and I might still have a chance to make it up for the next couple days.”

Lee had a four-putt hole and three three-putts. De­spite hitting more fairways and greens than the first round, he had six more putts.

The putting issues bit him on the third, 17th and 18th holes. He got on in two shots at No. 3 but took four putts for a double bogey, dropping him to 3-under and stopping the momentum from a birdie on No. 2.

Lee reached No. 17 at 4-under and got on in regulation, but he three-putted for bogey. He followed the same pattern at No. 18 for consecutive bogeys to close out his round.

“Seems like I need to work on my putting a little bit,” Lee said of his plans Friday afternoon. “I’ll be spending a lot of time on the putting green, I guess.”

Lee had some bright spots to stay near the top on another gusty day at Augusta National Golf Club. He rolled in a 13-foot birdie putt on
No. 5 and birdied the 16th hole for the second consecutive day by sinking a 16-foot putt.

He played Amen Corner at 1-over despite finding water at the 12th and 13th holes. He saved his par on No. 13 by pitching it to within a foot.

“With hitting two balls in the water, 2-over is not a bad score,” Lee said. “I’m just happy I get to play on the weekend and I have a chance.”