Tiger steps into weekend hunt at Masters

This Masters Tournament just got very, very interesting.

With the last roar of the day Friday, Tiger Woods dropped in one more birdie for a 66 to jump into a tie for third behind a couple of kids. We're about to find out a lot of pressing questions this weekend.

Are these new kids on the block like Rory McIlroy, 21, Jason Day, 23, and Rickie Fowler, 22, really free from the Tiger intimidation factor?

Is Woods sound enough of mind and body to play like his old self and end the worst slump of his career?

Can a 51-year-old Fred Couples keep hanging with a bunch of stars less than half his age?

Are veterans like K.J. Choi and Lee Westwood finally ready to break through in majors?

Will Geoff Ogilvy and Y.E. Yang shed the specter of being one-hit wonders?

"It's more than just Tiger trying to win this tournament," said Westwood, who shot 5-under to climb into the top 10 at the halfway point. "There are other guys on the leaderboard who can try and intimidate. But it's nice to see Tiger playing well. I think the tournaments and the game of golf are always better when Tiger is playing well and up there."

Despite 14 major titles , Woods has as much to prove this weekend as anyone. The young guns he inspired with his 1997 Masters win at age 21 were just 7, 8 and 9 when he romped to a 12-shot victory.

Despite their ages, McIlroy, Day and Fowler have all experienced weekend pressure at majors and/or the Ryder Cup, but never with Woods in the mix.

McIlroy didn't want any part of that speculative train of thought.

"I'll just be concentrating on the golf course," he said. "If you start thinking about anyone else here, if you let your mind wander at all, it can cost you a couple of shots. I'll be focusing on my targets and focusing on where I want my ball to go on the greens, and that's all I can do. I don't really care what anyone else does. I don't need to know. So it will be great for the tournament if he's up there. But I'm two shots ahead and I'm in a better position."

Woods - who has failed to generate momentum on the weekends during the extent of his 18-month drought - is just as much of a question mark himself. His advantage is having won four green jackets already.

"I'm just trying to put myself in the mix come Sunday," he said. "It's irrelevant who is there. My whole job is to get myself there with a chance with nine holes to go. That's what we have always done. I've been successful at it in the past by doing it that way."

The last big question is whether defending champion Phil Mickelson can rally back into contention from eight shots back after a disappointing 72 Friday. He draws faith from his last start when he went 16-under on the weekend to win in Houston.

"Fortunately I'm not in that bad a spot where if I can go out and shoot a good round I can get right back in it," Mickelson said. "It's kind of like last week is where I'm hoping to pull off, where I'm in a position if I can go make a move on Saturday and get right back in it."

So many questions. Only 36 holes left to answer them.

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 orscott.michaux@augustachronicle.com