Scheffler five clear as Woods makes Masters weekend

World No 1 Scottie Scheffler continued his remarkable run of form to open up a five-stroke halfway lead at The Masters, as Tiger Woods battled back from a nightmare start to ease into the weekend.

Scheffler, chasing a fourth win in six starts, made four birdies in a five-hole stretch on his way to a five-under 67 at a breezy Augusta National, seeing the American equal the largest 36-hole lead in Masters history.

The 25-year-old mixed six birdies with a lone bogey to build a commanding advantage over a four-way tie for second, with defending champion Hideki Matsuyama joined on three under by overnight leader Sungjae Im, Ireland's Shane Lowry and 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel.

Lowry started the week with a one-over 73 and slipped further behind after missing a five-footer to save par at the first, only to follow birdies at the second and seventh with a superb chip-in from over a bunker at the par-four tenth.

The Irishman then took advantage of the par-five 13th and birdied the 15th to move to four under his round, before holing a 10-footer to save par at the par-three 16th and closing out a blemish-free back nine to stay in touch with the lead.

"It was one of my better rounds of my career," Lowry said. "It was quite tricky out there, quite difficult, and I managed to play some good golf and hole some nice putts at the right times."

Schwartzel rolled back the years to card a three-under 69, a score matched by Matsuyama, with Im also on three under after a final-hole bogey saw him sign for a two-over 74.

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Cameron Smith - one of six players who can end the week as world No 1 - birdied two of his last four holes to salvage a two-over 74 and stay within six