Judging from the swollen red scoreboards, Augusta National's golf course is bleeding after two rounds of the Masters Tournament.

Rain-softened greens clocking at slower-than-usual speeds made for torrid scoring through 36 holes. The course, in fact, played easier than it has since 1992.

``The course is playing as soft as I've seen it in 10 years,'' said four-time Masters champion Arnold Palmer. ``This should probably be as good of scoring as can be. The greens are not as fast.''

The scores Thursday and Friday reflected Palmer's analysis. A total of 30 players shot rounds in the 60s the last two days, a figure exceeded only twice in the last 10 years. The 73 players to break par in the first two rounds is the most since 1992, when 82 players took advantage of wet conditions to light up the scoreboard.

Heavy rain Tuesday drenched the course, and light winds under cloudy skies kept the greens from drying out significantly before the tournament began. Players found it easier to get approaches to stick closer to the pins.

``I think they are firming up a little bit ... but they are still making nice marks in the green,'' said Lee Janzen. ``I've played here in the past where you really have to search to find a little indentation in the green at all. They are still pretty receptive right now.''

To compensate for the softness of the greens, the Masters Committee tried to bolster the course's only defense with tougher hole locations. It had a modest effect.

``They put the pins in places out there where even in perfect conditions, it's difficult,'' Paul Azinger said.

Three-time champion Gary Player said the ``course was made for scoring,'' before offering a warning for those who advanced to the weekend.

``This course is a very big mouse trap with a piece of cheese in the middle,'' he said. ``And it will grab you.''

With temperatures and winds rising over the weekend, the greens should start firming up and rolling at a more dangerous pace. The tougher the conditions, the more favorable the set-up for the better golfers.

The experienced Masters players don't believe the leaderboard will remain as crowded as the weekend wears on.

``I think it will be hard for a lot of people to be at the top,'' Janzen said. ``If the wind blows it will dry the greens out, make club selection tougher. Today it started to get tougher.''

Not tough enough, however, to provide any separation at the top of the board. Only first-time Masters participant Chris DiMarco and Phil Mickelson managed two rounds in the 60s. DiMarco carried a two-shot lead over Mickelson and Tiger Woods into the weekend with a 10-under 134. And 13 players are within five strokes of DiMarco.

Woods said he hasn't seen the course play this soft since his first Masters appearance in 1995.

``Other than that, this course usually is baked out,'' said Woods, whose 66 Friday shared the low score of the day.

``With conditions a little more benign, the guys who are playing marginal can get away with shots and get away with misses. The conditions getting more and more difficult, that won't be the case.''

In fact, the top players are hoping that Augusta National starts to fight back today.

``Hopefully the wind will come up and the course will play as it normally does,'' said defending champion Vijay Singh.