Harrington has chance to create history
Padraig Harrington not only re-ignited his Masters on Friday, but gave himself the chance to create history.
Nobody has won at Augusta National after an opening 77 or an eight-stroke deficit after the first round, but a seven-birdie 68 - matched as the low score of the week so far by Ryder Cup team-mate Paul Casey only 10 minutes later - brought the Dubliner back into contention for a first major title.
Harrington was on the same one-over-par halfway mark of 145 as David Howell (75), and also Welsh debutant Bradley Dredge (70). They were in a tie for eighth place only three behind South African Tim Clark and American Brett Wetterich, who returned rounds of 71 and 73 respectively.
Justin Rose, joint overnight leader with Wetterich, was the last player to tee off in the second round and after a bogey five on the first parred the next eight, then dropped another shot on the 10th.
That left the 26-year-old, 36-hole leader on his last appearance three years ago before slumping to a Saturday 81, tied for third with home town player Vaughn Taylor.
Tiger Woods, like Howell, had a real rollercoaster ride, but from five over with four to go he birdied the 15th and 17th for a 74 that kept him in the hunt at three over.
