Tiger vaults into contention after 66

Tiger Woods made his Masters move on Friday, putting himself in prime position to make golf history as he fired a six-under-par 66 to stand just one shot off the pace late in the second round at Augusta National.

Woods made up for a three-putt bogey at the par-three 16th with birdies on the last two holes to complete a tremendous eight-birdie charge that lifted him to an eight-under midway total of 136.

The world number one, aiming to become the first to win four successive professional majors, trailed only overnight leader Chris DiMarco, who began at seven-under and improved by two strokes through 12 holes on Friday.

Double U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen (70), Steve Stricker (71), Argentina's Angel Cabrera (71) and Masters rookie Toshimitsu Izawa of Japan (66) were all at seven-under 137.

World number two Phil Mickelson, hoping to claim his first major, was also at seven-under after seven holes having started the day at five-under.

Favorable early conditions on a warm, muggy day were changing as afternoon sun began to dry and harden the greens.

Briton Darren Clarke was one of the early starters to profit, posting five birdies in a bogey-free 67 that gave him a five-under total of 139.

"The greens are starting to speed up. There's going to be a little bit of fun this afternoon," said Clarke.

"If you go for birdies you are going to get bogeys and doubles and worse," he said. "The greens are a little bit quicker.

Twice champion Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain and U.S. Tour veteran Kirk Triplett were at six-under. Olazabal made his charge on the back nine with four birdies to shoot 68.

David Duval, who started the round at one-under, was also at six-under with one hole to play.

DiMarco, who registered a sizzling seven-under 65 in the first round, was overtaken briefly by Cabrera and Stricker, who both reached nine-under. But Stricker slipped back with bogeys at 16 and 18.

Cabrera, the long-hitting former caddie from Cordoba, surged to nine-under after making four successive birdies from the fifth. But he dropped shots at the ninth, 12th and 13th before finishing with a birdie.

Defending champion Vijay Singh shot 71 for a four-under 140.

Woods, who won the last three majors of the 2000 season, the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA championship, is trying to emulate the feat of Bobby Jones.

Jones, co-founder of Augusta National and the U.S. Masters, held all four major championships of his day when he swept the U.S. and British Amateurs and the U.S. and British Opens in 1930.