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Adam Scott roared back into contention at the 2017 Masters with a brilliant 69 at Augusta National today.
Scott, the 2013 winner, benefited from the troubles of first-round leader Charley Hoffman, who gave three shots back in round two, leaving Scott just four shots from the leaders through 36 holes at even-par.
Hoffman, Spain's Sergio Garcia, American Rickie Fowler and Belgium's Thomas Pieters are the co-leaders at four-under par, with Fowler recording the day's low round of 67.
A birdie from three metres at the par-four 18th hole was a nice note to take into the weekend for Scott, who had opened with a 75.
He had six birdies for the day, went out in 32 and had just one major issue, at the par-four 11th where he took double bogey six. Driving into the trees down the right, the Queenslander had to lay up, then compounded his issues with a three-putt from eight metres.
But he bounced back with a nice tee shot at the par-three 12th hole for a birdie, and hit it close on the par-five 15th for another.
It is Scott who is making the running. "I played amazing today,'' he told Fox Sports after his round. "I would never say 'I left it all out there', but I left it out there today. From the positions I was in, it wasn't a stretch to imagine shooting seven-under on the front. I missed a lot of putts inside 10 feet today, and I guess it's easier to accept on a day when it's so tough. At least I made some, and all the birdies outweighed the mistakes and I'm back in good shape for the weekend.''
Scott said it was always likely the field would compact on day two, after Charley Hoffman's amazing 65 in the first round. "If was going to be tough for him (Hoffman) to back that up and I knew if I could play and execute the way I did yesterday and just tighten up a bit, I could get back in this thing. And all of a sudden, 10 shots is now four.''