Zach Johnson confident heading into weekend

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. - Zach Johnson was a scrambling machine during Friday's second round at the Players Championship.

He ended up shooting a 1-under par 71 to enter the weekend at 4-under and eight shots behind 36-hole leader Martin Kaymer, but his ability to get out of trouble consistently during his afternoon round was impressive.

Johnson started by missing his first two greens and easily could have began with two bogeys. But the veteran fought hard and recovered from hitting a greenside bunker on the first hole and making a four footer to complete an up and down par on the par-5 second.

'I easily could have been 2-over par through two (holes) and I just kept everything going,” Johnson said.

Then on the 182-yard par-3 third hole Johnson delivered his best shot of the day to within two feet of the cup for a kick-in birdie.

'With the birdie on the third, I had four putts through the first three holes so my short game was great for the most part,” Johnson said.

Great indeed. After ending the front nine with a bogey on 8 and a scrambling birdie on 9, Johnson made the turn at 1-under 35.

After he successfully scrambled on 10 and converted a 10-foot par putt, Johnson got aggressive on the par-5 11th, going for the green in two with his 3-wood from the fairway. But his shot ended in the front bunker and Johnson could not convert the birdie.

'I had opportunities to make birdies (Friday),” Johnson said. 'It wasn't as if I got everything out of my round. Sixteen and 11 come to mind. Those two par 5s I feel like I should have had much better birdie opportunities than I did. But once again it probably all evens out with my saves.”

His par saves perhaps were never more timely in Friday's round than after his frustrating three-putt bogey on 12 in which Johnson missed a two-and-a-half foot putt for par.

His bounceback par saves out of the rough on 13 and a bunker on 14 were a key to keeping the round steady.

'Those were big,” Johnson said. 'Those were not short putts. That one on 13 was probably seven feet and the one on 14 was 10 to 12. A horrible sand shot but those were big putts. It was crucial just to keep momentum and not take myself out of it. You can't win it on Friday but you can certainly take yourself out of it.”

Johnson also added it felt like he was getting 'lapped” by playing partner Jordan Spieth. The 20-year-old shot 6-under 66 Friday and is at 11-under and in second place for the week.

Although Johnson trails the lead by eight, he has some confidence going into this weekend based on his recent play.

'I feel good,” Johnson said. 'I don't think my best golf has been played yet. It was probably played on Tuesday and Wednesday (during practice). If I can play as solid as I did on those days this weekend you never know what can happen.

'I've got to get myself opportunities ...”