Couples claims Masters lead

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Fred Couples turned the clock back at Augusta by carding a five-under 67 to share the lead after 36 holes of the US Masters, while Tiger Woods had a day to forget.

Couples, the 1992 Masters champion, had seven birdies in his second round to top the leaderboard with fellow American Jason Dufner, who, at 25, is less than half the age of his more experienced rival.

Couples, 52, matched his second-round score of two decades ago when he won the title, his only Major on the PGA Tour.

Dufner, meanwhile, shot a two-under par 70 despite having a bogey on the last hole when he was forced to play out of the bunker.

Dufner, ranked 31 in the world, is the only top 50 player who has never won a recognised tour event - after 162 starts.

Overnight leader, Britain's Lee Westwood, enabled Couples to seize the opportunity when he lost the lead on the 18th hole.

Westwood led by a stroke until he three putted on the 18th green.

He finished with a double bogey on the final hole and shot a second-round one-over 73 to drop just a stroke behind Couples and Dufner.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy, Spain's Sergio Garcia, American Bubba Watson and South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen are also tied with Westwood in equal third place.

McIlroy made a strong start hitting three birdies in the first seven holes before finishing with a three-under par 69.

Oosthuizen, who began the day tied for second, matched Westwood's round of 72.

Garcia bogeyed the par-four 18th for a four-under 68, while Watson had a 71.

Woods made a strong start to his round with birdies at the first and third to move to two-under overall, but soon gave back shots at the fourth, sixth and the ninth.

Further bogeys at 11 and 16 meant Woods eventually signed for a disappointing 75, to be three-over and some eight shots from the pace.

Woods' round was one shot better than his worst ever score at Augusta.

Meanwhile, last year's runner-up Jason Day withdrew from the Masters with an injured left ankle.

The Australian was one-over-par for the day, five-over for the championship, and in danger of missing the cut.

Three Australians did make the halfway cut, with Aaron Baddeley the best placed of the trio at two-under in a share of 11th place.

Fellow Australian Adam Scott is three shots further adrift at one-over, while compatriot Geoff Ogilvy carded a 72 to be two-over.

The news wasn't good for John Senden, however, with the Australian firing a second round of 76 to miss the cut mark by one shot.

Amateur Bryden McPherson finished nine-over for the tournament after a 76.

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