Tiger Woods hot on the heels of Rory McIlroy

Published on Friday 8 April 2011 22:21

Rory McIlroy banished the memory of St Andrews and will take a two-stroke lead into the third round of The Masters at Augusta, but he was left looking over his shoulder as Tiger Woods returned to his brilliant best holing seven birdies in his last 11 holes in a sparkling 66 to lie ominously poised in a tie for third, three shots of the lead.

The 21-year-old Northern Irishman, trying to become the second youngest winner of the title after Woods, added a 69 to his brilliant opening 65.

Now, from joint leader with Spaniard Alvaro Quiros after day one, he is 10 under par and two in front of fellow "young gun" Jason Day after the 23-year-old Australian fired a spectacular 64.

Woods, joint third with Korean KJ Choi on seven under after his 66, which included nine birdies in all, and last year's runner-up Lee Westwood two further back following a 67.

Woods even looked in danger of missing the cut at level par after seven, but then came a hat-trick of birdies around the turn, three more in a row from the 13th and another to finish for good measure.

Whatever happens over the closing 36 holes, however, there will be no need in the future for McIlroy to fear a second round repeat of last summer's Open when he followed a 63 with a nightmare 80.

McIlroy insists he is just going to ignore the chasing superstars and concentrate on playing the course. "If I start thinking about anybody else it could cost you a couple of shots," he said. "I don't really care what anybody else does. I don't need to know.

"It would be great for the tournament if Tiger is up there, but I am in a better position and I feel comfortable.

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"I didn't hole as many putts as I would have liked on the back nine, but I can't really complain - I am in the lead going into the third round of The Masters."

Asked if he felt ready to win his first major he replied: "Of course!"

Four-time winner Woods, without a victory since November 2009, said: "I just kept staying patient and got hot. Now I'm right where I need to be.

"Hopefully tomorrow I can piece together another good round and plod along." Westwood is five back and remembers losing from five ahead of everybody last year.

"I know how quickly a five-shot lead can evaporate," he said. "It's part of the value of being experienced - you've got to be patient and expect the unexpected really."

Asked about the possibility of a last day shoot-out with his stablemate McIlroy he said: "It's irrelevant who it is with - I'm not bothered at all. Last year it was Phil."

This time defending champion Mickelson is eight back after a 72. The 12th saw McIlroy's only dropped shot of the week – he was in sand too – but he had turned in 33 and he came straight back with a two-putt birdie on the 13th.

Luke Donald and Ross Fisher are four under, Paul Casey two under with Mickelson, Ian Poulter and first-timer Martin Laird one further back and Justin Rose level par after he eagled the 13th and birdied the 14th and 16th to survive.

Mickelson's chances of a successful defence and a fourth green jacket in eight years were hit by three bogeys in four holes from the third.

In typical fashion the tournament favourite, a winner in Houston on Sunday, then birdied three of the next four, but he bogeyed the 11th after failing to find the green for the second day in a row and missed out on birdie chances at the 13th and 15th, Augusta's two par fives on the inward half.

Graeme McDowell, playing with Woods, missed the cut by two after losing a ball and running up a triple bogey six on the 12th, where Quiros's title hopes nosedived by taking two in a bunker and carding a five.

World number one Martin Kaymer also crashed out for the fourth time in a row at the event and Padraig Harrington could not recover from his opening 77. He had nearly not played because of neck trouble.

A rejuvenated Fred Couples defied an ailing back injury that has plagued him for years and put himself in contention to become the oldest Masters winner.

The 51-year-old American, who needs regular treatment onhis troublesome spine just to get around the course, turned back the clock with a brilliant four-under-par 68.

The 1992 Masters champion made five birdies and one bogey to reach the halfway stage at five-under and put himself near the top of the leaderboard, giving hope that he could pull off a golfing miracle and win a second green jacket.

"Even though I'm not feeling that great coming into this thing, I still feel like I can shoot some good scores on this course," he said. Couples has been suffering from extreme back pain for years, which he described as having a permanent toothache. He has to constantly keep moving to stop his back from stiffening and winces each time he has to hit a ball from a downhill lie.

He needed painkilling injections while playing in Houston last week but said he never gave any thought to skipping the Masters.

"I would be playing even as a cripple, I love this place," he said. "I shouldn't say that but as a guy with a horrible back, I would find a way to get around. I'm very sore and stiff, but I have a late tee time tomorrow. I'll get a lot of rest between now and then."

Couples has always saved his best for the Masters. He won his only major at Augusta National 19 years ago and has finished in the top-10 on 11 occasions. Last year Couples led the tournament after the first round but went on to finish alone in fifth, seven shots back.

The oldest man to win the tournament is Jack Nicklaus, who was 46 when he won his sixth green jacket in 1986. Couples said: "Today was a great round to make it a thrill seeking Saturday for me. But can I still win? This would be the only event that I probably could still win but I think I can go out tomorrow and shoot a very good score, and then I'd have to do something crazy on Sunday."

Donald's charge through field also raised over $21,000 for the Japanese earthquake fund. Sponsored by Osaka-based Mizuno, Donald has agreed to donate $5,000 for every birdie he makes at Augusta this week.

"I felt that it would be a good thing to do and I am happy to help out," he said after a seven-birdie 68 in the second round.

"I'm a little bit out of pocket now, but it is for a good cause. The Japanese are a resilient nation, so I think they will recover quickly, but it is nice to be able to help out. I made an eagle yesterday so that will count as two birdies (making five in all in his opening 72) and I'm hoping for lots more over the weekend."

The 33-year-old English golfer is also hoping to be the first player ever to become Masters champion four days after winning the par-3 competition.