* Van Pelt fires best of week 64

* Toiling Woods lies 13 strokes off the pace

* McIlroy three over for the round

(Updates after Van Pelt shoots a 64)

April 8 (Reuters) - American Bo Van Pelt made a hole-in-one

as some of the early starters thrived in glorious sunshine at

the Masters on Sunday while Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy slipped

out of contention.

Four-times winner Woods was four over for the tournament

after mixing three bogeys with two birdies in the first 13 holes

to lie level with Northern Irishman McIlroy, who was three over

for the day.

The two players had been much trumpeted as heavy favourites

during the tournament's build-up but Woods was on track to

produce his worst finish as a professional at Augusta National.

With five holes to play, the 14-times major champion was

tied for 39th, a distant 13 strokes off the lead, and well

outside his previous worst performance of joint 22nd at the 2004

Masters.

Pacesetting Swede Peter Hanson, nine under overnight, and

second-placed Phil Mickelson were preparing for a mid-afternoon

teeoff and the likelihood of both going low in the final round.

Van Pelt, who tied for eighth here last year, took advantage

of the traditionally tempting last-day pin positions at Augusta

by firing a best-of-the-week, eight-under-par 64, one stroke

short of the Masters record.

The 36-year-old American aced the par-three 16th on the way

to a sizzling back nine of six-under 30 to post a one-under

total of 287.

The 76th Masters was poised for another gripping finale with

Hanson being chased by eight players within five shots of his

lead, three of them previous major winners.

Fan favourite Mickelson, hunting a fourth green jacket, was

alone in second after electrifying the fans at Augusta National

with a scintillating 66 on Saturday.

South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen, runaway winner of the 2010

British Open, was a further stroke back at seven under with

triple major champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland tied for

sixth at four under.

Hanson and left-hander Mickelson were scheduled to tee off

at 1440 local (1840 GMT) in the final pairing at the year's

opening major.

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Julian Linden)