Patrick Reed produced a magical round of golf to propel to the head of the Masters leaderboard, but the American, who shot a six-under par round of 66 on Friday, will be looking over his shoulder heading into the weekend, as there are a whole host of top-class players sitting within touching distance of the 36-hole leader.
Reed started the day on -3 three shots off day one leader Jordan Spieth, but Reed quickly eclipsed his Ryder Cup teammate, as while Spieth lost three shots in his first three holes, Reed amassed a trio of birdies in his first three, and that was just the stepping stone he needed to shoot a wonderful round of golf.
Soaring to -8 thru nine holes, Reed then lost a shot on the tenth, but he kicked on again in the back nine, and for the second time racked up a triumvirate of birdies, this time on holes 13, 14 and 15. Having made it -10 on the 15th, Reed gave a shot back on 16, but he held it together in the closing stages and will head into Saturday's third round on -9.
Australian Marc Leishman sits two shots back on -7, as he recorded a marvellous round of 67, and that five-under par round's highlight came on 15 as he produced a sensational second shot approach to the green, which he duly converted for a sublime eagle.
The aforementioned Spieth, who suffered a woeful start, managed to get back from -2 at the turn, and picked up a couple of shots in the back nine, and he will still feel he has a terrific chance of picking up his second Green Jacket, as he heads into the weekend on -4.
Swedish star Henrik Stenson is third on the leaderboard after he shot a solid round of 70, which sees him line up in round three on -5, while a shot back from him is his Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy, who had a relatively uneventful round of golf, but at -4 the Northern Irishman will feel there's more to come.
Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas both started the day over par, but showed why they are challenging for world number one status as they both ended the day on -3, with Justin Rose and Bubba Watson a further shot back on -2, as they both recorded under-par rounds in the latter stages of Friday's play.
It was not such a positive day for Phil Mickelson, who started the day full of confidence on -2, but he shot a seven-over par round of 79, and while he just sneaks into the weekend on +5 will feel his chances are well and truly gone on challenging for a fourth Green Jacket.
Mickelson's old foe Tiger Woods is another that sits at the lower echelons of the leaderboard, and he is one shot ahead of Mickelson on +4, as he carded a three-over par round of 75.
One man that won't be playing at the weekend is reigning champion Sergio Garcia, who failed to bounce back from his woeful round yesterday, and the Spaniard recorded a round of six-over to end the tournament on +15.
