Rose - unperturbed by the pressure (Getty Images)

Unaware that no first round leader has gone on to win the Masters for 20 years, Justin Rose magnificently maintained his two-stroke advantage at Augusta National with a round every bit as impressive as his opening 67.

To follow up with a one-under-par 71 was a superb effort from the 23-year-old from Hampshire considering he was entering new territory.

Rose had two birdies, just one bogey and 15 pars on a course playing hard and fast again after Thursday's rain and with some devilishly difficult pin placings.

And he was not the only European to show he was up to the task as well, although Darren Clarke - fourth after his opening 70 - missed the cut by slumping to a 79 and Colin Montgomerie went out as well following a nightmare 80.

German Alex Cejka and twice winner Jose Maria Olazabal scored 70 and 69 respectively to move into a tie for second place.

The five-year wait for a European to win a major title again could well end this weekend on the evidence so far, although Tiger Woods is still a danger at level par, six behind, following a 69.

Rose looked calm and composed both during the round and as he did the long list of television, radio and press interviews afterwards. But the pressure is bound to build and build.

"I did my best to stay in my own game today and that meant not looking at the leaderboards," he said. "Dealing with it the way I did gives me confidence going into the last two rounds."

An 18-foot birdie at the fifth was the early boost Rose was seeking, but then playing partner Chris DiMarco came within inches of repeating his hole-in-one of the first day at the next, then birdied the seventh and eighth as well to draw on level terms.

At that point it was actually South Korean KJ Choi who led after a tournament record-equalling front nine of 30. But Choi bogeyed the next three and then the 16th as well for an inward 40 and three-under total.

Rose had his first bogey of the day - rain-free thankfully - on the difficult 11th, missing from three feet, but responded with a tee shot to within 18 inches of the flag at the famous 'Golden Bell' 12th, then saw DiMarco go into Rae's Creek on the next for a double bogey seven.

The task then was not to ruin his round and he achieved that in fine style, playing a brilliant bunker shot to within two feet of the final flag. It all augurs well for what lies ahead.

Cejka's life story contains the remarkable episode of escaping from Communist-run Czechoslovakia with his father when he was nine.

He was fourth in the US PGA Championship last August and is based on the US Tour now, but being even closer in contention for a major inevitably led to more questions about his youth.

"I didn't understand what was going on, but my father and I went on a trip and after we swam across a river he hugged me. I think we would have been shot if we had been caught and I am very proud of him.

"I don't think I would have achieved anything if he had not done that. I had better opportunities in Germany and I feel lucky I got the chance."

Olazabal was full of doom and gloom last week after tumbling off the leaderboard following an opening 65 in the BellSouth Classic.

But that round did show what he was capable of and the 38-year-old from San Sebastian made his move with a 40-foot eagle putt on the 13th and birdies at the next two.

Like Cejka he bogeyed the last, but then said: "It must be something with this place. I don't feel much different about my game from last week, but I feel in peace with myself here.

"The years are going by and the course has changed a lot. I think you have to be a long hitter to do well now, but knowledge is a great thing. It would be nice to have another European winner."

While the galleries rose to honour Arnold Palmer on his 50th and last appearance - his second successive 84 was immaterial - others were fighting not to bow out of this year's tournament with him.

Clarke had to birdie the last to survive, but fired his approach into the crowd and his fate was sealed when Padraig Harrington and Vijay Singh, in the group behind, parred to squeeze in on four over. Harrington had his second successive 74.

Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam were alongside Montgomerie on seven over and Brian Davis on 11 over, but there were smiles elsewhere.

Paul Casey achieved his target for the day with a 69, but it could have been better. He three-putted from less than 20 feet on the last.

This is Casey's Masters debut, but he came into it with high hopes both of because what other people had told him and what he saw on a pre-tournament visit last month.

"Everybody said that in terms of the majors this would be the one that would suit me most," said the 26-year-old, whose confidence was further boosted by a 10th place finish on his first appearance in the Players Championship a fortnight ago.

"It's scary because you then feel you have to perform well, but when I saw it I thought I would play well. I hit it high and go in with shorter irons than some of the other guys.

"I have just got to putt well. The last was annoying - unless you hit it in the right place the opportunity is there to do what I did." His birdie attempt finished three feet away and he missed.

Paul Lawrie finally broke par at the Masters, a 70 taking him into the weekend on three over and Sandy Lyle, while unable to repeat his opening 72, is there too on two over following a 74 and debutants Ian Poulter and Phillip Price have two more rounds at three over.

Jack Nicklaus has hinted this might be his last appearance like Palmer and if so his second successive 75 for six over was not the way he hoped to go out.

British amateur champion Gary Wolstenholme's dream of making the cut did not become reality. He had a 76 for nine over.

Collated second round totals (USA unless stated, par 72):