McIlroy and Woods in pursuit of Spieth at Masters

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods were leading the charge at the Masters on Saturday, aiming to reel in young American talent Jordan Spieth, who led the tournament by five strokes at the halfway stage.

The two biggest names in golf were both facing a mountain to climb with 12 strokes separating them from the 21-year-old Texan.

To date, eight strokes has been the biggest halfway deficit anyone has overcome to win the Masters -- a feat achieved by Jack Burke in 1956.

McIlroy, who has seen his hopes of becoming just the sixth player to win all four Grand Slam titles all but blown out of the water, was first off, playing in the company of defending champion Bubba Watson.

The world number one, winner of the two previous majors, started with a bang, holing a 37-foot putt for eagle at the second to get to four under.

He saw birdie putts slip by at the first, third and fifth holes, but nailed one at the par-five eighth to move to five under and added another at the ninth to reach the turn in 32.

Woods, playing three pairs later in the company of old foe Sergio Garcia, also reached five under with three birdies in a row from the second.

The 39-year-old American was upbeat after his 69 on Friday, which saw him play his best golf of what has so far been a wretched year.

Few believe he can get himself into contention to win a 15th major and fifth Masters, but even a top-15 finish would give him a platform upon which he could continue to rebuild his flagging career.

Spieth, meanwhile, was just setting off with the aim of converting two days of inspired golf into a first major title.

The Texan has set Augusta National alight with two rounds of 64 and 66 that saw him record 15 birdies against just one bogey.

In so doing, he became the youngest player to lead the Masters after the first round, and his 130 halfway total is the lowest-ever in 79 editions of the year's first major.

He is firmly in a winning position, but remains aware that he still has much to do, as he learned last year when he led the Masters after 54 holes, but ended up tied for second behind Bubba Watson.

"Just like I've said each time every day, what I learned was patience," he said after his 66 in the second round.

The closest to Spieth, and the player who is his partner for Saturday in the final pairing, is Charley Hoffman, a unheralded 39-year-old American who is something of a late bloomer.

But further down the line there is a wealth of golfing talent ready to make a charge at the young Texan or profit from any faltering on his part.

Bunched on seven under, seven off the pace, are Dustin Johnson, who had an unprecedented three eagles on Friday, back-on-form Englishman Paul Casey and 2013 US Open champion Justin Rose, also of England.

Three-time former winner Phil Mickelson is a further shot back.
Source: AFP