AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Those fluttering flags promise to lay quiet. The swaying trees should stand still. The whistling wind will give way to the sound of echoes through the pines.
Saturday is set up for all kinds of possibilities at Augusta National, where the blustery conditions during the second round of the Masters produced frayed nerves and a packed leaderboard through 36 holes of the year's first men's major championship.
And in an unflattering way, we have Charley Hoffman to thank for the drama that is about to unfold.
The first-round leader made it look easy on Thursday, shooting 65 when the scoring average was 10 strokes higher. He had a 4-shot lead, stretched it to five early Friday, and could have put even more distance between himself and the field.
Alas, Augusta National was just as nasty in the second round, and green jackets never come easy. The easy 65 gave way to a difficult 75. The 4-shot lead was gone replaced by a four-way tie for the lead that also includes Sergio Garcia, Rickie Fowler and Thomas Pieters.
"Today I think I sort of felt how hard it was for everybody else in this wind when you sort of got out of position,'' Hoffman said. "So yeah, it did feel like 10 shots worse.''
The result was not so great for Hoffman but very good for the tournament, which now has an interesting mix of characters within 5 strokes of the lead, including Justin Rose, Jon Rahm, Fred Couples, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth.
Rahm is playing in his first Masters at age 22, Mickelson his 25th at age 46, Couples his 32nd at age 57. Spieth is trying for his second victory here in three years, McIlroy hopes to complete the career Grand slam, Fowler is in search of his first major title.
"Anybody who makes the cut can win,'' said Ernie Els. "You got U.S. Open, Open Championship, everything. You play in wind, you play tough pin placements, really fast greens, and a great golf course. So put it all together you have an unbelievable place.''
And one that has never been a favorite of Sergio Garcia. Playing in his 71st consecutive major -- the longest streak of any active player, one that dates to his teenage years at the 1999 Open -- Garcia infamously lamented his inability to win here five years ago. He said "I'm not good enough ... I don't have the thing I need to have,'' when it comes to wining majors.
The Spaniard, now 37, was a can't-miss major winner going back to his runner-up finish to Tiger Woods at the 1999 PGA Championship; he is still searching for his first one. Could it really come here?
"I probably didn't accept things as well as I should have,'' Garcia said. "And I've shown myself many times after that, that I can contend and I can truly feel like I can win, not only one, but more than one.''
Seven of the top 15-ranked players sit in the top 15 of the tournament, perhaps the most unlikely being Spieth, who has battled back from an opening-round 75 that included a quadruple-bogey 9 at the 15th hole on Thursday. Spieth shot a 69 on Friday that included birdies on three of his last six holes to move into a tie for 10th, just 4 strokes back of the leaders.
The 2015 Masters champ said he did a good job of putting the quad calamity behind him -- he parred the 15th hole Friday -- and yet acknowledged that "as I stand here now just four back, it's hard not to think I could be tied for the lead.''
At least Spieth got himself a Saturday pairing with Mickelson, who let a great opportunity slip by after bogeying three of the last five holes to shoot 73 and finish at even par. Mickelson admitted fatigue set in on a tough day.
"I fought hard today,'' he said. "It was a hard, difficult day. And I'm really tired. It was obvious there in the end. I played the last five holes very poorly after a really good round. But I'm in a good spot heading into the weekend. I'm playing well. I've been putting well other than today. And I'm very optimistic I'm going to make a good run.''
Even McIlroy, who has not been at his best through two rounds, found himself cautiously optimistic about his chances, knowing that the weather conditions are expected to improve considerably.
The blustery conditions are set to be replaced by warmer weather with virtually no wind. Depending on how the course is set up, there could be the opportunity for some low numbers among those who can take advantage of the opportunity.
"Just put yourself in position, you try not to shoot too high over the first two days,'' McIlroy said. "And then, with the benign conditions, hopefully, for the weekend, I can try to make some more birdies.''
It certainly promises to be an interesting day. In the last nine groups representing 18 players, there are a combined 27 major championships. None of them are among the six players who make up the final three twosomes.
The weather will be warmer, the breeze less bothersome, but the atmosphere no less volatile as the Masters embarks on the third round.