Hello everybody ... I'll be bringing you Masters action as it unfolds, live and online, through every shot of the Tournament. I'll be posting instant insight and analysis and hope you'll join me with your thoughts and comments. I look forward to your interaction this week at Masters.com.

(Follow Tom Spousta all week for real-time coverage of the Masters. Tom has written about golf for USA Today, the New York Times and other national publications.

7:25 Top to bottom, this is one of the most impressive leader boards in recent memory. Bunched together in perfect alignment like the azaleas in Amen Corner. Their games are in full bloom, too. Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry -- at 48, he'd be the oldest to win the Masters, eclipsing Jack Nicklaus at 46 in 1986 -- lead, but no margin is safe on Saturday or Sunday at Augusta National. You want star power? Woods, Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Geoff Ogilvy and others are lurking. Many with majors already, others seeking that stamp on their careers. It's gonna be a memorable duel for the Green Jacket. See you on the weekend.

7:04 Geez, Harrington was simply snakebit coming down the stretch. After his penalty stroke on No. 15, he bogeyed the 17th and had a birdie putt at No. 18 rim around the cup and curl back out. Still, he's at 2 under in his quest to win three majors in a row. And what a par save by Ryuji Imada at No. 18 ... makes the cut on the number in his first Masters.

6:45 Television doesn't do justice to Angel Cabrera's game. He looks much bigger and stronger in person than what you see on your screen. And after back-to-back 68s, the other contenders are going to have to muscle him off the leader board. He's made 11 birdies and only three bogeys through 36 holes. He's 5 under on the par 5s. He's hit 70% of his greens (25 of 36), 57% of fairways (16 of 28) and used only 26 and 29 putts so far. All are very strong numbers.

6:29 The wind cost Paddy Harrington a stroke at No. 15. It moved the ball after he had addressed the shot and soled his putter. Just a bad break. He replaced the ball after it moved, according to the rules, and cooly drained the putt for a par 5 instead of a birdie 4. If his chance to win comes down to one stroke on Sunday ...

6:19 Kenny Perry's interview after his 5-under 67 was a classic. You've got to read or listen to it on masters.com. (Click here http://www.masters.com/en_US/news/interviews/2009-04-10/200904101239396612140.html.) He talked about how, at 48, he's so energized with his game and life. He talked about the influence of his father and family, about the Ryder Cup victory last year, a wide range of interesting topics. Good stuff.

6:04 Harleyrider15 L, USA ... Isn't that something about Luke Donald? You never forget stuff like that. Back in the late 80s, when I first started covering golf, a Senior PGA Tour event was in Sarasota, Fla., where I worked. As I was leaving the media room, I heard somebody blasting away in a practice bunker. It was Gary Player. All the other players were long gone. I wandered over to watch, chatted with him a bit, and then asked about how to play out of bunkers. He's considered perhaps the greatest sand player of all-time, and he spent 15 minutes giving me a lesson. Never forget it. Great class and truly golf's world Ambassador.

5:50 The great Gary Player walking up 18 for the final time. Even as he's gotten older, he's never embarrassed himself with his play. He could tee it up for a few more years if he wanted. Thanks for the memories, Laddie ...

5:47 Mickelson nearly holed his second shot on No. 13 for double eagle. Tap in eagle to reach 1 under. He looks pumped up on the back nine. Starting to get aggressive. If he makes the cut, maybe he'll carry that into the weekend.

5:42 Trivia time, this courtesy of researcher/stat guru Sal Johnson of GolfObserver.com ... Leaders Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry, as well as Masters rookie Anthony Kim, did not play last year. Going back to World War II, who has won the Masters after not having played the year before? (Answer: Fuzzy Zoeller, who won in his first Masters appearance in 1979).

4:47 Phil Mickelson fans, don't fret -- yet. He just made the turn at 1 over, dangerously close to the projected cut. Two or three birdies, and he's right back in it. Whatever happens, Phil is gonna give us a thrill on the back nine over the next two hours. He's got a good birdie chance at No. 10, too.

4:39 Sandy Lyle is going to make the cut for the third straight year. He turned back the clock with five straight birdies from Nos. 13-17, before a bogey at No. 18. Five in a row, at age 51! He's at 2 under ... tied with Tiger Woods.

4:34 Woods bogeyed No. 18 again. He just makes par both days, he's at 4 under and you can imagine what the leaders would be thinking heading into moving day. He's seven strokes behind going into the weekend. Let me know where you think Woods will finish ...

4:27 It's his first Masters, and Anthony Kim already owns a Masters record. He made 11 birdies, breaking the previous mark of 10 by Nick Price in 1986's third round. Tale of two scores, too ... Kim improved by 10 shots, from a 75 to 65. Great charge back to 4 under.

3:45 Nobody's ever played Augusta National's front nine like Chad Campbell in the first two rounds of the Masters. He shot 33 to go with his 31 Thursday. Ken Venturi carded 31-34 on the front in 1960.

3:33 Dan, Canada ... Something clicked with Kim after he bogeyed 9 and double-bogeyed 10. Maybe he just got mad and decided to focus harder. He's made four straight birdies from Nos. 12-15, two of them tap-ins.

3:25 Tom B, USA ... Stricker has had almost two identical rounds statistically. He hit 13 of 18 greens today (like he did in the first round); he hit 8 of 14 fairways (10 of 14 Thursday). Here's the big difference ... he had two less putts, 28, today -- and has not had a 3-putt over 36 holes. The Masters always rewards guys who play that steady.

2:59 Oh, and talk about catching lightning in a bottle. How about this ... Hamilton had missed seven cuts in nine events coming into the Masters. His best finish was a tie for 39th at the Honda Classic. And in five previous Masters, he'd never shot in the 60s and broke par only three times. "On paper, my year has not been that great," Hamilton said. "But it wasn't to the point where I can lose all hope."

2:55 Todd Hamilton picked a great time to shoot 68-70. He's playing his last Masters based on the five-year exemption he earned by winning the 2004 British Open. The surest way for him to be invited next year is to finish in the top 16 on Sunday.

2:51 Hey, Kieran M and all of Ireland ... McIlroy just eagled No. 13. Had about a 10-footer. The 19-year-old drained it and now he's at 4 under par, tied for sixth and five back of Campbell.

2:34 Outside of Woods, Greg Norman has the largest following and receives the loudest roars when he makes a great shot or putt. Emotion cascaded over the first tee when he was introduced at the start of his second round. Shark bogeyed No. 3 to drop to 1 under. And with Campbell in at 9 under, he might have to hustle to make the cut.

2:12 Kieran M, Ireland ... Rory missed a great birdie chance at No. 9. He knocked his approach about 10 feet right of the hole, but couldn't convert. If McIlroy and everybody else under par just hold the positions they're at ... I bet they'd all take that right now.

1:54 If Woods can get to 3 or 4 under, he won't have that many guys to run down on the weekend. Todd Hamilton is in at 6 under, Kenny Perry looks steady, and Campbell just parred 16 to stay at 9 under. He's got the two holes he bogeyed Thursday ahead of him. I doubt anybody's gonna make a charge the rest of the round.

1:48 Woods appears to be struggling to do something with his round. He was left off the tee at No. 7 and couldn't get up-and-down for par. He birdied the par 5 8th with a great chip and short putt. At No. 9, he hit his tee ball right in the pine straw/trees, put his second shot in the left front bunker, blasted to 8 feet and missed. He made the turn at 2 under and just parred No. 10.

1:42 Wow. You can feel the wind build as it blows out of the west/southwest. You can hear the snap of the flags at every hole out there. I saw several players back off of putts, afraid of the ball moving at address. Immelman backed off twice at No. 9 over a 5-footer for par. He missed.

12:01 Hey, I'm headed out to the course. If anything happens live while you're on masters.com, take note and fill me in. I'll be your eyes and ears on the course, but you've got to cover me online for now.

11:57 Woods parred No. 4. Jose Maria Olazabal made a move to 3 under with birdies at Nos. 2 and 5. But the only one giving chase to Campbell is Kenny Perry, who's at 6 under after birdies at Nos. 1 and 2. Gonna be hard to make up ground with these blustery winds.

11:46 Action is hitting up at Amen Corner and the early groupings are going through Nos. 15 and 16. It's live on masters.com. I'm watching some of it before I head out on the course.

11:42 Woods holding steady at 2 under after three holes. We'll see what he does at the devilish par 3 fourth.

11:36 Jeff M, USA ... Good to know. Like I said, the wind kicked up significantly about the time Woods teed off. Oh, and Campbell just birdied No. 8 ... first one to reach double figures at 10 under. Get all the birdies you can now, because if that wind starts coming any harder, they'll start giving back shots quick.

11:28 Tom H, USA ... JC for Johnny Clean? Just wondering, is that the G-rated version of his nickname? He's run into some trouble on his back nine. Merrick bogeyed 10, bogeyed 11 and double-bogeyed 12 to drop to 2 under. I think Amen Corner got him.

11:23 David S, United Kingdog ... The Masters cut is top 44 plus ties, or anyone within 10 strokes of the lead. So right now, very early, with Campbell at 9 under, you're looking at 1 over being the cut.

11:07 The winds kicked up in the last 20 minutes or so. No. 1 was sort of downwind, with the breeze coming over your left shoulder. That makes No. 9 directly into the wind. But Augusta National is famous for its swirls and gusts ... that's gonna be the biggest factor. The greens are gonna speed up too.

11:01 Woods just crushed his drive at No. 1, past the bunker on the right side of the fairway. He had about 100 yards to a middle pin and stuck it about 15 feet. He missed the birdie putt, and gave a frustrated hand gesture, like the ball didn't break the way it should have. He's obviously is having some issues with his reads ... seems like he's rolling putts where he wants them to go, but ... He needs to make two or three to grab some 'Mo.

10:43 T-minus two minutes to Tiger Woods tee off. Gotta go watch.

10:41 Mahan just hit the wall. After a birdie at No. 1, he bogeyed No. 2 and just double-bogeyed the short but tricky third hole. He's lost three shots in a blink. Augusta National giveth and taketh ...

10:39 John Merrick is making his first Masters a memorable one ... He sank two birdies on the front nine and is making the turn at 6 under. He'll be in the thick of it come moving day on Saturday.

10:28 Campbell birdied the par 3 fourth, which ranked as the toughest hole in the first round. 9 under ... He's knocking everything fairly close and to the right spots on the greens. Doesn't have to make any long putts, which takes quite a load off your game here.

10:06 You can't believe how gorgeous this perfect sun-splashed Spring day is. Not much wind, perfect scoring conditions again. Pin placements look more difficult, so we'll see how low they can go. I'm not expecting another record 38 sub-par rounds, but the cut could be significantly lower than in recents years.

9:59 It's on! Friday at the 2009 Masters, Tiger Woods is heading toward the practice green to work the kinks out of that putter as he preps for his 10:45 tee time. Chad Campbell just birdied the par 5 second hole to reach 8 under. Hunter Mahan birdied No. 1 to get to 7 under.