Rory McIlroy is hoping for some help from the weather after leaving himself with an uphill battle to win the Masters and complete the career grand slam.
McIlroy added a second round of 71 to his opening 73 at Augusta National to finish level par, seven shots behind leaders Francesco Molinari, Jason Day, Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott and Louis Oosthuizen.
The 29-year-old carded an eagle, two birdies and three bogeys in an eventful round which also saw his drive on the par-five 15th finish in up in a golf cart to the right of the fairway.
"It's been an up and down 36 holes for sure," McIlroy said. "I'm happy to be where I'm at, especially having to get up and down from 180 yards on the 15th to make par.
"I was staring bogey in the face at 15 and thinking I have to play the last three in even par to make the cut. To be here for the weekend and only seven back, I'm actually pretty pleased.
"The weather could be in the favour of the guys who are chasing. It's so bunched, so many guys with a chance coming into the last two days. If I can get off to a decent start tomorrow, shoot 33 or 32 on that front nine, I'm right back in it."
A thunderstorm delayed play by half an hour on Friday and more are forecast over the weekend, raising the possibility of the first Monday finish since 1983.
