Byrd working on confidence at Augusta

Jonathan Byrd revealed a secret today after he finished the second round of the Masters Tournament.

On the screensaver of his phone is a photo of a golfer who is the picture of confidence. The golfer has just “smoked” a tee shot at No. 17 on Sunday at the 2003 Masters.

The golfer is Byrd, who was looking to recapture that feeling from his Masters debut, when he tied for eighth. He had missed the next three cuts before posting 72-71 for 1-under-par this tournament.

“I didn’t let people see it,” he said of the screensaver. “Every time I looked at that phone, I was looking at my picture, just trying to remember. I see myself playing this golf course well. I know this course suits my game. I feel good on it. I’ve just kind of let go a little bit and go play.”

Byrd had gone 74-71-71-72 in 2003. His next six rounds at Augusta National were 79, 74, 75, 74, 73, 78.

“You can’t be tentative playing this golf course,” Byrd said. “You’ve got to be trusting in what you’ve got and go after it. I feel like I did that in ’03. I’m getting better at that this year.”

He started fast on Friday, making birdies at Nos. 2, 3 and 4.

“On a windy day, to be 3 under through four (holes), that just takes a lot of the pressure off,” Byrd said.

Bogeys on Nos. 6 and 7 dropped him to 1 under, then another at No. 10 erased his great surge. Birdies at 11 and 16 improved his standing, while missing a putt for bogey at 18 hurt.

Making the cut, however, was no small accomplishment after the streak at the Masters and in majors overall, he said.

“I didn’t peek (at the scoreboard) a whole lot today,” he said. “I had maybe the cut in my mind a little too often. I can honestly say that. I want to make the cut. I want to have a chance on the weekend. I wasn’t really peeking at the scoreboard. It’s just Friday. I’m trying to play the golf course as well as I can and make some birdies coming in.”