* Americans Couples and Dufner share lead
* McIlroy moves within stroke of lead
* Woods three shots from missing the cut
(Updates at end of round)
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 6 (Reuters) - Rory McIlroy moved in
for the kill and Tiger Woods was left kicking his club in
frustration during a Masters second round that ended with
Americans Jason Dufner and Fred Couples sharing the lead.
A log-jammed leaderboard, featuring five players one stroke
off the pace, sets up a fascinating weekend for the first major
of the year with 52-year-old Couples, winner here 20 years ago,
cast in the role of nostalgist's underdog.
McIlroy, the world number two and U.S. Open champion, shot a
composed two-under-par 69 to move within a stroke of the lead
but the man he was presumed to be duelling with at Augusta -
four-times Masters winner Woods - came close to imploding.
Woods pushed his tee shot right into the bunker on the 16th
and hurled his club to the floor before kicking it away in a
flash of anger and frustration.
There was no shortage of grimacing and muttering from a
tired and unhappy looking Woods as he battled through the final
holes, struggling but avoiding a total meltdown that would have
left him missing the cut.
After opening with birdies on two of his first three holes,
Woods had five bogeys the rest of the way and posted a
three-over 75 that left him eight shots back of the leaders and
three shots from missing the cut.
But the raw data does not capture the disappointing display
from a player who, fresh off his first PGA Tour win in 30
months, was made bookmaker's favourite this week.
McIlroy started the day four shots off the pace but the
Northern Irishman made a solid start with three birdies on his
first seven holes, including a 35-foot birdie putt on the
par-three fourth.
He briefly had a share of the lead, after a birdie on the
15th, but slipped back after he bogeyed the 17th hole.
'MAGICAL DAY'
Spain's Sergio Garcia looked set to join the American duo
atop the leaderboard but bogeyed the par-four 18th to finish at
four-under 68, a shot off the pace along with Lee Westwood (72),
Louis Oosthuizen (72), McIlroy and Bubba Watson (71).
Couples mixed seven birdies with two bogeys for a
five-under-par 67, matching the second round score he shot at
Augusta National in 1992 when he won the Masters.
"I feel like I know every inch of the course. I've played 28
years here and today was really a magical day," said Couples.
"I'm going to be right there with everybody Saturday and Sunday,
well, Saturday for sure."
Overnight leader Westwood had parred his first 10 holes and
produced two birdies on the back nine but undid a lot of his
work on the final hole where he three-putted for a double bogey.
South Africa's Oosthuizen, who began the day tied for
second, had a rough start to his round with a double-bogey seven
on the second hole before a strong finish that included three
birdies on his final five holes.
But the surprise face among the leaders was Couples, who
plays mainly on the senior Champions Tour but showed has vast
understanding of the course where he won his only major.
The veteran, who started the day in a share of 29th place,
had two bogeys and five birdies on the front nine and was
flawless the rest of the way, making birdies at the 15th and
16th to move to five-under.
Dufner has recently made a habit of getting into the lead in
the first half of tournaments only to fade at weekends but he
will be looking to go one better than at last year's PGA
Championship where he lost in a playoff to Keegan Bradley.
South African Charl Schwartzel, who won last year's Masters
title by two shots when he became the first champion to birdie
the last four holes, was eight shots back after a three-over 75.
Among those missing the cut were nine former Masters
champions and reigning British Open champion Darren Clarke.
Australian Jason Day, joint runner-up last year, withdrew
from the event with an ankle injury after seven holes of his
second round.
(Editing by Frank Pingue)