Taylor misses Masters cut in return to hometown tournament

Vaughn Taylor tried to make the most of his first Masters Tournament appearance in eight years.

In tough, windy conditions, the Augusta golfer posted 5-over-par 77 in the second round to miss the cut by one shot. Still, he said he enjoyed his return to his hometown event.

“It’s been a great experience,” he said. “I wish I would’ve played better. I tried to enjoy it. That was my goal coming into this week. The competitive side of me is preventing that a little bit, because I wanted to play well, but it’s been a great experience. I got to share it with my family and friends and it’s been a lot of fun.”

The 40-year-old Taylor entered this year with only past champion status on the PGA Tour. When he won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, he locked up a two-year exemption and qualified for his fourth Masters. Unfortunately, Taylor missed the cut for the fifth consecutive time since his victory.

The former Augusta State golfer got off to a precarious start at No. 1. He hit his tee ball down the left side, but missed the green to the right. Taylor chipped to the fringe and three-putted from 15 feet – he called the effort “pathetic.” The double bogey dropped him to 4-over for the tournament.

Taylor made double bogey at No. 11 for the second day in a row to fall to 7-over. After making birdie at the par-5 13th, he stood on the No. 15 tee at 6-over with laying up on his mind. But the wind died on his layup attempt and his second shot went too far, Taylor said. He left himself with 80 yards to the pin instead of 90. Indecisive because of the tricky wind, he hit a lob wedge too hard, sending his third shot over the green. Taylor made a costly bogey on the third-easiest hole of the second round.

“I just didn’t have the right number,” he said. “I was in between clubs.”