Masters golf 2022 – Scottie Scheffler leads Masters by five shots as Tiger Woods battles back to stay in hunt

Scottie Scheffler lived up to his billing as the World No 1 after a classy second round of 67 saw the American claim a five-shot lead at the halfway stage of the 86th Masters. Scheffler leads on eight under with defending champion Hideki Matsuyama (69), Shane Lowry (68), Charl Schwartzel (69) and Sungjae Im (74) sharing second place on three under ahead of the weekend's closing 36 holes.

Ad/> The Dallas professional – chasing a remarkable fourth tournament win in six starts – enjoyed seven birdies and two bogeys and almost finished with a birdie on the 18th that would have seen him lead by six strokes. MastersWhen does Tiger begin his second round at Augusta?A DAY AGO As it is, Scheffler equals the largest 36-hole lead in the history of the Masters last witnessed in Jordan Spieth's march to the Green Jacket in 2015.

No player has squandered such a lead since 1945, but it will be interesting to see how Scheffler's nerve holds up as he closes in on a first major. /> Tiger Woods – who bogeyed four of his first five holes on another windy day at Augusta – is safely in for the weekend after carding a 74 in the second round to finish on one over after his opening 71.

The 15-time major champion looked in peril as he slipped to three over after dropping shots on the 11th and 12th, but birdies on 13 and 14 ensured Woods remained in touch with the chasing pack, four strokes off second place. After returning from his life-threatening car crash in Los Angeles 14 months ago, it would not be unfair to suggest a major goal of the week has been achieved by making the cut at this first tournament over the past 17 months which fell at four over on Friday night.