Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano still in contention

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano faltered late in his round Friday, but he didn’t let it bother him.

The Spaniard closed with a pair of bogeys, posting 2-over-par 74 in a windy second round but finding himself in contention at 2-under at the halfway point of the Masters Tournament.

“Anything in red figures is good,” he said. “I just feel I played a little better than it shows.

“I’m still in good position for the weekend.”

The 32-year-old is looking to improve on last year’s Masters showing, his first trip to Augusta. He finished in 61st place, with an opening 74 his best round.

“Last year was a learning tournament for me,” he said. “The first Masters is the same for everybody, like a little boy when he goes to Disney World.”

On Friday, Fernandez-Castano hit seven fairways and found 10 greens. He needed 30 putts, including one 3-putt green.

A six-time winner on the European Tour, Fernandez-Castano birdied the first hole before stumbling with three bogeys for 38 on the front.

“The front nine was a little difficult with the wind, which was blustery,” he said. “Then I fought back a bit.”

He bounced back with a birdie at the difficult par-4 10th. At No. 13, he drove into the trees. Electing to go for the green, he hit an iron shot almost into the tributary of Rae’s Creek fronting the green. He pitched his third shot over the green, putted to 4 feet and made an unlikely par.

After making birdie at the par-5 15th, Fernandez-Castano’s luck ran out. He bogeyed No. 17, then missed the 18th green with an 8-iron shot from the fairway to close with another bogey.

“Those things happen on this course,” he said. “You just have to accept it and move on.”