Sunday 10 April 2016 01:27, UK
Rory McIlroy will go into the weekend of the 80th Masters just one shot behind faltering leader Jordan Spieth as scores soared on a brutally tough second day at Augusta National.
McIlroy ruined a flying start with a double-bogey at the fourth, but he steadied the ship and picked up three birdies in four holes from the 13th in a battling 71 - one of only four sub-par rounds on day two - that earned him the clubhouse lead on three under.
Spieth appeared to be heading for a sizeable halfway lead when he birdied two of the first three holes and opened up a five-stroke advantage over the field, but he incredibly four-putted the fifth and bogeyed nine, 10 and 16 while complaining at being put on the clock as he limped in with a 74.
But it was enough to retain the lead for the sixth Masters round in succession as only seven players in the 89-man field managed to complete 36 holes under par, with blustery conditions and firm and fast greens sending the average score well above 75.
World No 1 Jason Day is five off the pace after managing a creditable 73, although the Australian let it slip on the back nine for the second day running as he dropped three shots over the last eight holes - including two visits to Rae's Creek at 13.
McIlroy admitted he was disappointed with his first-round 70 after he bogeyed two of the last three holes, and he got the start he craved when he birdied the long second and rolled in a confident putt for another at the next.
He undid that good work when a poor tee-shot to the fourth led to a double-bogey five, and he let another shot go at the next before halting the slide with a run of five pars, although he then missed a six-footer for par at 11.
But he got back on track with two putts from distance for birdie at 13, and another gain at 15 was followed by a superb, hard-breaking putt at 16 which dropped for a rare two, and he managed to salvage par at the last after slicing his drive into the pines.
Spieth, two clear after his flawless opening 66, looked in ominous touch when he rolled in birdie putts at the first and third, but he could not get to grips with the undulations of the fifth green and took four putts to get down.
He made an eight-footer for birdie at eight only to come up short with his approach to the ninth as he turned in 36, and he was visibly agitated after he and playing partners Paul Casey and Bryson DeChambeau were warned for slow play.
Spieth's frustration was evident when he three-putted from 20 feet at 16, but he regrouped and avoided his fourth bogey of the day with a rock-solid 15-footer for par at the last to keep him out in front on four under.
Amateur star DeChambeau had the round of the day going as he defied the breezy conditions to get to four under for the day, and the tournament, with his sixth birdie at the 15th, but he also three putted 16 before getting into major difficulties at the last.
He put his first drive out of bounds and then pulled his second towards the eighth fairway, eventually running up an ugly triple-bogey seven which sent him back to level par and a tie for eighth.
New Zealander Danny Lee closed on two under despite bogeys at the last two holes in a 74, and he shares third with Scott Piercy after the American offset three birdies with as many dropped shots in his 72.
Brandt Snedeker (72), Danish veteran Soren Kjeldsen (74) and Hideki Matsuyama (72) are the only other players under par at the halfway stage, while the British and Irish challenge withered after an encouraging opening day.
Danny Willett stumbled to a 74 and Shane Lowry fired an erratic 76 as both slipped to level par overall, while Paul Casey bogeyed four of the last five holes to plummet to two over alongside Lee Westwood (75) and Justin Rose, who followed up his 69 with a seven-bogey 77.
And Ian Poulter crashed to three over after a 78 in which he failed to make a single birdie, as did Matt Fitzpatrick as he laboured to a 76, while Jamie Donaldson ensured his place for the weekend with a commendable 72.
Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson was among the big names to miss the cut after back-to-back double-bogeys at 15 and 16 summed up his torrid 79, while Rickie Fowler will also have the weekend off despite being seven shots better than his opening 80.
