Rory McIlroy once again raced out of the blocks, while Jason Day is firmly in the hunt as a fellow Australian’s nightmare Masters came to an end in the second round.
Last year’s runner-up Justin Rose is the clubhouse leader at 5-under par after shooting a three-under par 69.
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The English veteran sits one shot clear of Wyndham Clark and Tyrell Hatton, who fired a 68 and a 66 respectively.
McIlroy is the one to watch at the top of the leaderboard, however, the defending champion made a hat-trick of birdies at two, three and four to push clear after starting the day at 5-under.
LIV Golf’s Hatton snapped the 10-player contingent from the breakaway tour’s poor start to the tournament – none of them were below par in the first round.
The often ill-tempered Englishman’s six-under par 66 is his best ever round at a major and it came as he did his best to stay cool and calm while Augusta National laid down its challenges.
“I am pretty disappointed standing here now – I would have loved to have made at least a par at the last – but there were a lot of positives today,” he told Sky Sports.
“Making seven birdies out there is not an easy thing to do. I am happy with how I played and hopefully I can play well this weekend.
“I don’t think me being patient and positive mix very well but I will try my best. If I hit good golf shots, that is the best wat to keep myself calm.”
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Among the Australians, Day still the leads the way and is in contention for the green jacket halfway through his second round.
The former world No.1 opened with seven straight pars before rolling in superb back-to-back birdie putts at the eighth and ninth to move to 5-under par.
2013 champion Adam Scott unfortunately made double bogey at the last to shoot 74, but the veteran will make the weekend at 2-over par.
The projected cut line currently stands at 4-over, a number Cameron Smith is straddling as he navigates the back nine.
Top-ranked Australian Min Woo Lee endured a disastrous two days, meanwhile, shooting 77 to finish 11-over par across 36 holes.
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