Lyle rolls back the years with birdie blitz

Shropshire's Sandy Lyle was today hoping to lead the British charge at the US Masters after rolling back the years at Augusta.

The 1988 champion from Shrewsbury fired a second round 70 to lie two-under-par for the tournament and sit just seven shots back of the joint leaders, American pair Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry.

Lyle will begin round three tonight in a tie for 19th place, and alongside Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington as the best placed Brits.

A run of four straight bogeys on the front nine appeared to leave Lyle struggling to make the cut.

But the 51-year-old reeled off five consecutive birdies on the back nine to leave himself well placed.

"I started making some putts on the back nine and I had something like eight or nine single putts," said Lyle.

"Not all long ones but nice ones at the right time. I wasn't hitting the ball that well in terms of knocking the pins out but I missed the greens in the right spot.

"I'm happy to be playing the weekend for the third year in a row."

An emotional week for Oswestry's Ian Woosnam came to an end as he missed the cut.

The 1991 winner, mourning the loss of his mother Joan who died on Sunday, followed up his opening 74 with a 75 yesterday for a five-over-par total.