RORY MCILROY PLAYED himself back into Masters contention on Friday, grinding it out in difficult conditions on day two at Augusta.
The world number two was disappointed with his opening round when he could only manage level-par 72 on a day when playing conditions and pin locations were ideal for low scoring.
With the wind getting up, the rain coming down and the pins pushed out scarily to the edges for the second round, most players found they were shooting higher.
McIlroy, though, went the other way with a two-under 70 that leaves him handily placed going into the weekend at two-under-par.
“I made a lot of good putts for pars on the front nine,” he said. “I mean I didn’t play my best for the first few holes and the eighth hole [an eagle three] really got me going, really kick started me.
“Then I started to hit some really good quality shots. I took advantage of a couple of easier holes on the back nine, 13, 14.
“Anything under par today was going to be a good score and I stayed patient out there when I needed to and it was a good day.”
At the top of the leaderboard, world number one Tiger Woods made three birdies in four holes to grab a share of the lead at the turn.
Woods, a four-time Masters champion, birdied the fifth, seventh and eighth to stand on five-under alongside Marc Leishman and 53-year-old Fred Couples, the 1992 Masters winner who finished with a birdie to take the clubhouse lead.
How well Woods performs could decide whether or not Chinese 14-year-old Guan Tianlang makes the cut for the weekend after the Asian schoolboy was hit with a seldom-imposed penalty for slow play.
After taking the extra stroke for a bogey at 17, Guan finished on 75 in the second round and on four-over 148 for 36 holes, right on the edge of cut line, which includes the top 50 and level or anyone within 10 strokes of the lead.
“I respect the decision they make,” Guan said. “This still is a wonderful experience for me. I have enjoyed playing in the Masters and I think I did a pretty good job.”
