Despite fumbling finish, Johnson happy to be so close

Even after bogeying his final three holes Friday, Zach Johnson strolled coolly and calmly into the weekend, knowing he's still very much in contention. He also believes his Ryder Cup experience can help him handle the weekend pressure.

By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Zach Johnson didn't storm out of the green scorer's hut beside the 18th green on Friday afternoon.

He didn't slam the door on his way out. He didn't pretend the reporters gathered nearby were invisible and walk past them without so much as a glance.

Other players might have been tempted had they done what Johnson just did. Instead, he simply walked over and calmly discussed the bogeys at Nos. 16, 17 and 18 that cost him a share of the lead at the midway point of the 71st Masters Tournament.

"I'm fine, " said Johnson, his hands resting on his hips as he manned up and faced the questions. "It's just one day. I had a lot more positives than negatives, I think. I bogeyed the last three holes but, really, I didn't hit too many bad shots. ? I feel pretty good."

Johnson said the wind kicked up as the afternoon lengthened and admitted he might not have handled the change as well as he could have. He three-putted the 16th hole from 3 feet and left a shot in the greenside bunker at No. 18.

And yes, the soft-spoken pro from Iowa knew he was close -- if not, in -- the lead when the slide began. He also knew it was only Friday.

"I knew it didn't matter," Johnson said, with a shrug of his shoulders. "I executed well, had some good saves, made some good putts, made some more good putts and made some really, really good putts. ?

"I'm very content with where I am."

Johnson's round of 73 Friday left him in a tie with Vijay Singh, Jerry Kelly and Justin Rose at even-par 144 and just two strokes off the lead held by Brett Wetterich and Tim Clark. The weekend is full of promise for the talented 31-year-old.

The former Nationwide Tour Player of the Year is just beginning to hit his stride in the majors. In 12 previous starts, Johnson's best finish is a tie for 17th at the 2005 PGA Championship. He missed the cut in his first Masters and shared 32nd last year.

Johnson is playing with confidence, though, and is coming off a tie for ninth at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship. Not to mention, the flat stick is cooperating -- he's used just 53 putts in two rounds at Augusta National.

"I'm putting well," said Johnson, who had a total of 123 in four rounds last year. "I'm reading the greens well. You've got to play, if they're downhill, more break than you see and if they're uphill, they're still fast. All in all, I feel good over the putter."

Yes, there was that one three-putt at the 16th hole, but Johnson wasn't distressed. The gathering breezes pushed the first putt off line and the second hit a spike mark.

"Usually you chalk something like that up to nerves but honestly, I felt good over both putts, good reads and hit them solid," he said. "But that's just Augusta. I guess I got Augusta-cized or something. I don't know."

Johnson, who won the 2004 BellSouth Classic, made his first Ryder Cup last year. Two of his teammates at The K Club -- Wetterich and Vaughn Taylor, who starts the third round at 1 under -- also happen to be at the top of their games this week.

So can the experience in Ireland help over the weekend as the pressure mounts in this picturesque south Georgia enclave of civility framed by all those abundant dogwoods and azaleas?

"I think it can. Sure. Absolutely," said Johnson, who went 1-2-1 in his debut. "The Ryder Cup is equivalent, if not more, as far as pressure goes. You're not only playing for yourself and your family, more important, you're playing for your country.

"Playing in that arena and having some minor success in that arena certainly can help you in majors."

So can staying patient.

"I mean, it's just golf," Johnson said. "At the same time, I've just got to hit fairways and get it up there on the green and give myself a chance to two-putt. At Augusta you really don't try to make putts, you try to lag them and if they go in, great.

"It's going to be a struggle, but it should be. This is the Masters."