Tiger Woods's hopes for a fifth green jacket and a calendar Grand Slam were fading on Friday after the world number one battled to one-under 71 in the U.S. Masters second round.
Woods will enter the weekend trailing leader Trevor Immelman by seven shots and will have to produce a personal best comeback to keep his bid alive for a 14th major title and dream of a calendar grand slam from crashing at the first hurdle.
A pair of birdies on the back nine and an adventurous par on the 18th after sending his tee shot deep into the trees limited the damage and kept the 32-year-old within sight of the leader.
"It was nice to end up under par for the day and under par for the tournament," Woods told reporters. "Seven back is really, on this golf course, under these conditions we're going to have coming up, you can make that up."
After a bogey at the 10th left Woods nine off the pace, it would have required him to produce the greatest 36 hole comeback in Masters history, bettering the eight-shot rally by fellow American Jack Burke in 1956.
But all Woods will require now is a personal best, having never come back to win from more than six shots behind going into the final two rounds of a major championship.
"I'm in good shape," assured Woods. "I'm seven back but I need to play well, obviously we got some tougher conditions coming in, and stay patient.
"This golf course, you can make up shots here quickly. Just got to hang in there.
The American world number one won his first four tournaments this year before finishing fifth at last month's WGC-CA Championship in Miami. He has won nine times in 11 starts worldwide since last August.
"Obviously I've got to make a few more birdies and eliminate the mistakes, hit the ball a little bit closer than I have," said Woods looking ahead to the weekend. "You've just got to stay patient.
"I mean, this golf course, anything can happen. You can come back pretty quickly here.
"You've just got to keep being patient and keep hanging in there."