Justin Rose carded a second-round 71 to take a one-shot lead into the weekend at The Masters.
Rose, who finished runner-up at Augusta National to Jordan Spieth in 2015 and lost a play-off to Sergio Garcia in 2017, recorded four birdies and three bogeys in his 71 as he advanced to eight under.
That left him one ahead of American Bryson DeChambeau, with Rory McIlroy and Corey Conners on six under and defending champion Scottie Scheffler among those on five under, as well as Rose's Ryder Cup team-mates Shane Lowry and Tyrrell Hatton.
Rose was relishing the prospect of taking on the likes of McIlroy, DeChambeau and World Number One Scheffler over the weekend.
“That’s the company that I expect to keep, and that’s where I have tried to be my whole career,” Rose said.
“That’s where I’ve been for a lot of my career. I’ve been a top-10 player in the world for a decade or more so this is nice to be back in that mix, a hundred per cent.”
Canada’s Conners was alongside McIlroy on six under par, with Scheffler, Lowry, Hatton and Matt McCarty all on five under.
Rose holed from 14 feet for birdie at the second but handed the shot back at the fifth after finding a bunker off the tee.
The former U.S. Open champion picked up a shot at the eighth after pitching to five feet, and threatened to pull clear after a stunning tee shot to similar range at the par-three 12th.
However, there were further dropped shots at the 14th and 17th either side of a gain on the short 16th.
“There's a bit of a sense that the course is playing a little bit differently today,” Rose added. “A bit windier, for sure, out of a slightly different direction.
“So just trying to make some of those adjustments. I think it was a fairly favourable wind for the golf course in general, which is why I think you're seeing some good scores.
“From my point of view, decent day for sure. Nice birdie at 12.
“The finish obviously just a few too many fives coming in. Didn't really take advantage of the par fives, although they were both playing tough today. They were into the wind. It didn't feel like there was much value in trying to force birdies out of those holes.
“Two good swings on 14 and 17, but just misjudgments on the conditions and the wind. Those two fives could have been two birdie putts quite easily and would have changed the complexion of the round a little bit.
“Overall, under par, in a great position going into the weekend.”
