Sentimental favourite Justin Rose has produced another inspired Masters charge to capture the second-round clubhouse lead at Augusta National.
England's three-time runner-up reeled off five birdies in a nine-hole mid-round blitz to shoot 69 on Friday (Saturday AEST) and vault to five under for the championship.
After losing out last year in an epic play-off with Rory McIlroy, as well as missing out in extra holes to Sergio Garcia in 2017, Rose would be a hugely popular champion if he could pull of victory at the age of 45.
But the former world No.1 and 2011 US Open champion may well have to hunt down McIlroy, who was making his own hot start to his second round.
A first-round co-leader with American Sam Burns at five under, McIlroy collected three straight birdies from the second hole to skip three shots clear.
He bogeyed the seventh hole to slip back to seven under and a two-stroke buffer.
Jason Day remained the leading Australian midway through his second round, surging into a tie for second at five under at the turn after picking up two shots on a scrambling front nine.
Rose's countryman Tyrrell Hatton carded the low round among the morning starters, a sizzling six-under 66 to also rocket up the leaderboard at four under.
Burns and fellow American Patrick Reed, the 2018 champion, were sharing second with Day as they also headed for Amen Corner.
American Wyndham Clark (68) was also safely in the clubhouse at four under as the course continued to dry out in the extreme heat amid predictions of some of the most challenging weekend conditions in years.
Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka thrust himself on the leaderboard at three under, alongside fellow Americans Chris Gotterup and Ben Griffin, after all posting second-round 69s.
