Martin Laird
Martin Laird of Scotland had a second successive 69 on his Masters Tournament debut to underline just what an improved golfer he is.
Having started with a 74 on Thursday the 28 year old was up to four under par and not without hopes as the opening Major of the season enters the final round.
"Obviously happy," said Laird, who two weeks ago had his second victory in America and is on the verge of breaking into the world's top 20 for the first time.
"I felt like that was about as high as I could have shot today.
"I chipped in the first for birdie, which was nice, and then on the second and third missed putts inside six feet for birdie.
"On 15 I three-putted from the fringe, so I felt like I left three or four shots out there."
He almost sank his eight-iron tee shot to the 16th, though, and added: "I knew that to get it there I had to just smash it and I hit it as good as I could.
"If I keep shooting in the 60s I'll keep going the correct way up the leaderboard."
Justin Rose, having survived the cut by one with an eagle and two birdies late in his second round, added a 71 for one under.
"I played beautifully today and I am just really disappointed - I played like five or six under," he commented.
"I feel a bit frustrated, so I need five minutes to try and compose myself, go and do some putting practice and then go out tomorrow and see if I can make something happen.
"I couldn't really get less out of the round if I tried to be honest.
"My long game is fine, but my short game is letting me down and at The Masters you can't really afford to do that."
