The solid play of 14-year-old phenom Tianlang Guan has been one of the feel-good stories of the 2013 Masters thus far, but a one-stroke penalty for slow play has become the story of Guan's second day at The Masters. 
 
 UPDATE: Friday, April 12th, at 7:49 p.m. ET by Kyle Vassalo 
 
 The one-stroke penalty didn't cause Guan's Masters journey to end on Day 2. At +4, he's survived the cut: 
 
 14-year-old Tianlang Guan (+4) makes the cut at the #Masters. He is the youngest to make the cut at a major in the modern era — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 12, 2013 
 
 ---End of Update--- 
 
 
 
 Will Brinson of CBS Sports indicates that the Chinese prodigy received a one-stroke penalty for slow play and now sits at four-over par for the tournament: 
 
 Tianlang Guan was given a 1-stroke penalty for slow play! — Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) April 12, 2013 
 
 Guan had actually parred the par-four 17th, but he was penalized and forced to take a bogey due to his slow play. Had that call not been made, Guan may have been well clear of the cut line. The projected cut is currently set at four-over par, though, so the youngster will have to sweat out the remainder of the round. 
 
 PGA official informing Guan of penalty stroke 
 
 After an impressive score of one-over par in the opening round on Thursday, Guan had a tough act to follow. He played composed golf for much of the day, however, and was three-over par for the day, although many would probably argue that he should actually be three-over par for the tournament. 
 
 According to Jason Sobel of the Golf Channel, a PGA Tour pro texted him and expressed his dismay over the manner in which Guan’s slow play was addressed: 
 
 Just received this text from PGA Tour pro: "I don't think I've ever seen a more ridiculous time to start enforcing a rule." Amen, brother. — Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelGC) April 12, 2013 
 
 Even though PGA Tour officials technically handled things by the book, the pro appears to have a point. According to PGATour.com, Guan’s one-stroke slow-play penalty is the first at a major since Gregory Bourdy received one at the 2010 PGA Championship. 
 
 Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports caught up with Guan's father, Hanwen, and asked to hear his thoughts regarding the penalty. His response was certainly diplomatic, but it's clear that he doesn't necessarily agree with the decision: 
 
 Guan's father, Hanwen, to Yahoo Sports: "A rule is a rule. But I don’t want to talk too much about it.” — Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) April 12, 2013 
 
 Rules may be rules, but it definitely seems like the officials chose a strange time to crack down. Guan is already under an immense amount of pressure as a 14-year-old playing against men, so it’s tough to blame him for taking extra time in order to compose himself. 
 
 Guan happened to be in a group with two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw, who knows a thing or two about the rules of golf. According to Sam Weinman of Golf Digest, Crenshaw apologized to Guan for the way things went down. Although the entire group was technically responsible for the infraction, Crenshaw seemed to take it particularly hard: 
 
 Ben Crenshaw on slow play penalty to playing partner Guan: "This isn't going to wind up pretty. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry this happened." — Sam Weinman (@samweinman) April 12, 2013 
 
 More from an indignant Crenshaw: "I'm sick. He's 14 years old." — Sam Weinman (@samweinman) April 12, 2013 
 
 To Guan’s credit, he didn’t fold after the penalty. He could have easily imploded on the par-four 18th hole in the face of adversity, but he finished strong with a par and may very well succeed in making the cut despite the controversial penalty. 
 
 Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter ||||| While Tiger Woods climbed up the Masters leaderboard, 14-year-old Guan Tianlang hoped a one-stroke penalty for slow play didn't keep him from playing on the weekend. 
 
 Dustin Johnson misses a putt on the 15th green for a double bogie on the hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) (Associated Press) 
 
 Marc Leishman, of Australia, chips to the second green during the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) (Associated Press) 
 
 Amateur Guan Tianlang, of China, wears an Augusta National golf course hat while competing in the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Charlie... (Associated Press) 
 
 Amateur Guan Tianlang, of China, talks to his Brian Tam on the first green during the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) (Associated Press) 
 
 Amateur Guan Tianlang, of China, discusses his shot with caddie Brian Tam on the first fairway during the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Darron... (Associated Press) 
 
 Tiger Woods tees off on the fourth hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman) (Associated Press) 
 
 Skier Lindsey Vonn and her physical therapist Lindsay Winninger, left, watch as Tiger Woods tees off on the fourth hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013,... (Associated Press) 
 
 Dustin Johnson holds up his ball after a birdie on the fourth hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) (Associated Press) 
 
 Amateur Guan Tianlang, of China, touches fists with his caddie Brian Tam after putting on the third hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013, in Augusta, Ga.... (Associated Press) 
 
 Amateur Guan Tianlang, of China, waits to hit on the eighth fairway in the rain during the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) (Associated Press) 
 
 Marc Leishman, of Australia, tees off on the fourth hole during the second round of the Masters golf tournament Friday, April 12, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/David Goldman) (Associated Press) 
 
 Woods, the world's No. 1 player, and an eighth-grader from China were the dominant storylines on a day when Augusta National reclaimed its bite. 
 
 With scores soaring and several prominent players plummeting, Woods put together a stretch of three birdies in four holes on a blustery Friday to put himself in contention with Fred Couples, Marc Leishman and Jason Day. 
 
 Guan wasn't in contention for the lead, but he was hoping no one pulled too far ahead so he could make the cut. The task got tougher when the youngest player in Masters history was penalized for slow play on the 17th hole, apparently the first such ruling in the tournament's 77-year history. 
 
 "I respect the decision," he said. "This is what they can do." 
 
 Guan needed to be among the top 50 or at least within 10 strokes of the lead to get two more rounds of golf at Augusta National. 
 
 When the decision was announced, the youngster was tied for 54th. Couples, Leishman and Day were tied for the lead at 5 under _ nine strokes ahead of Guan. 
 
 Fred Ridley, the club's competition committee chairman, said Guan's threesome was first warned for being too far behind the group ahead of them at the 10th hole. The teenager went on the clock two holes later _ an official imposes a 40-second time limit to play a stroke _ and gave Guan his first warning at No. 13. 
 
 "In keeping with the applicable rules, he was penalized following his second shot on the 17th hole when he again exceeded the 40-second time limit by a considerable margin," Ridley said in a statement. 
 
 That turned what would have been a par into a bogey. Guan finished at 3-over 75 for the round, giving him a 4-over 148 total. 
 
 Augusta National spokesman Steve Ethun said there were no records of such penalties at the Masters. 
 
 The last player to be penalized for slow play at a major was Gregory Bourdy at the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. 
 
 "I know the rules pretty good," Guan said. "But I think my routine was pretty good, too. Just the wind changed. The weather, it was not a good day." 
 
 Woods arrived as the overwhelming favorite to win his fifth green jacket, and he's certainly eager to end the longest drought of his professional career. His last major championships was the 2008 U.S. Open. 
 
 Since then, his marriage ended in scandal, he dealt with numerous injuries, and he struggled to adjust to another swing change. 
 
 But his game _ perhaps his life, too _ have clearly taken a turn for the better. 
 
 With his new girlfriend, Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn, cheering from beyond the ropes, Woods opened the tournament with a 70 and kept up his strong play in tougher conditions Friday. He birdied the fifth, seventh and eighth holes to make the turn at 33. A brilliant par save out of the back bunker at the 12th was followed by a tough break at the 15th, when his third shot struck the flagstick and rolled back into the water. But he pulled off a shot from the drop area and salvaged a bogey, leaving him just one shot behind Day and clubhouse leaders Couples and Leishman, both at 5-under 139. 
 
 A rainy morning turned into a sunny, blustery afternoon, which sent scores much higher than they were in the opening round. Guan said it took him longer to judge distances and pick clubs because of the wind. 
 
 Nevertheless, Guan said his first Masters would still be special even if he missed the cut because of the penalty. 
 
 "This is still a wonderful experience for me," he said. "I enjoyed this week so far. I think I did a pretty good job." 
 
 Leishman, a 29-year-old Australian with only one PGA Tour victory, kept up his solid play in the tough conditions, while others skidded down the board. 
 
 They included Sergio Garcia, who was tied with Leishman at the end of the first round after both shot 6-under 66. The Spaniard soared to a 76 that knocked him back, but not out. He was four strokes off the lead. 
 
 Dustin Johnson surged to 7 under and the top spot on the board, before a dismal finish ruined his day. He laid up at the par-5 15th hole, then dunked his third shot in the water, leading to a double-bogey. He bogeyed the 17th and took another double-bogey at the final hole to finish with 76. 
 
 Instead of leading, he was five shots back at 1-under 143. 
 
 Some former champions fared better. 
 
 Couples, playing in his favorite tournament at age 53, birdied the final hole for a 71. Angel Cabrera birdied five of the last six holes, signed for a 69 and was another shot back at 140. 
 
 "It's a hard course out there," Couples said. "I felt very good about what I shot. I had a couple of little hiccups out there and did some other good things to shoot my score. But the golf course is winning today." 
 
 Cabrera actually posted a better score in the tougher conditions than he did Thursday, when he shot 71. He was joined at 4 under by Jim Furyk (71) and Brandt Snedeker (70). 
 
 "For me, Augusta is never easy," said Cabrera, the 2009 Masters champion. "Never, ever easy. The big difference was that on the back nine, I was hitting very well off the tee, leaving my second shots close, and I was able to make some birdies." 
 
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 Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963
– The two big story lines from the Masters continue to deliver: Guan Tianlang: The 14-year-old from China, already the youngest player ever to tee off at the event, made the cut at 4-over. This despite the fact that he got penalized one stroke on the 17th for slow play. (It was windy, and he was taking his time choosing clubs.) The kid handled it with class afterward, however, and said he respected the decision, reports Bleacher Report. Tiger Woods: He played well again and is just three shots off the lead at 3-under. Woods shot 1-under today in his bid to win his first major championship since 2008, reports AP. It could have been better: He bogied two of the last four holes. Leaderboard: Australia's Jason Day leads everyone at 6-under, with Fred Couples and Marc Leishman (another Aussie) a shot behind. Angel Cabrera, Jim Furyk, and Brandt Snedeker are at 4-under, and Woods is tied with six others at 3-under. Click for more coverage.