From seven adrift of American Chris DiMarco, Clarke moved to only three behind on the five under par halfway total of 139, although DiMarco still had 10 holes to play.

Woods, meanwhile, matched Clarke's outward 33 as his bid for an unbelievable clean sweep of the four majors picked up pace.

And when the world number one got up and down from the back bunker at the 13th for another birdie he joined a group in third spot which also included twice winner Jose Maria Olazabal.

The Spanish star, taking over as leading European from his compatriot Miguel Angel Jimenez, had four birdies in five holes from the 11th to charge into the picture.

The only two ahead of them were DiMarco, who after his dazzling opening 65 resumed with a bogey but birdied the next two, and American Steve Stricker, who reached nine under before bogeying the 16th and 18th for a 71.

Highlight of Clarke's effort was a shot he described as one of the best of his career.

It came on the 485-yard par four 10th. He slightly skied his three wood tee shot and needed a five wood for his second, made all the harder by the fact it was from a downhill lie.

Clarke caught it beautifully and almost holed it, the ball hitting the flagstick and finishing three feet away.

"It was a career five wood," the 32-year-old said afterwards.

"Any time you shoot 67 at Augusta you've got to be pleased. I hit a lot of good shots and I am very happy with the way I am swinging it.

"My patience has been very good too. More learned people than me have said you have to be patient and that's what I've tried to do.

"I've hit it in the wrong place a few times and paid the penalty, but when you try to go looking for birdies that's when you end up making bogeys, double bogeys or worse."

Like Stricker, Argentinian Angel Cabrera, a winner in his home country last Sunday, got to nine under thanks to four birdies in a row from the fifth.

The European tour player held the lead on his own at that point, but then came bogeys at the ninth, 12th and 13th.

Colin Montgomerie, who had been four over par after 13 holes yesterday, holed a 40-yard chip for an eagle at the second and went to one under. But then all of a sudden he found himself struggling to survive tonight's cut.

Montgomerie, who had taken a double bogey seven at the eighth in his opening 73, had a triple bogey seven on the 10th and, having dropped a shot at the ninth, was down to three over.

Ian Woosnam, the leading Briton overnight on one under, bogeyed the third, while Paul Lawrie bogeyed the first three holes and turned at four over.

Nick Faldo looked like crashing out as well when he bogeyed the first and second. They left the three-time champion five over.

Padraig Harrington, meanwhile, was among the very late starters and a par at the first kept him three over and needing to find some of Clarke's magic.

Olazabal, winner in 1994 and 1999 either side of the back injury which left him crippled, was only two under at the turn, but birdied the 11th, 13th, 14th and 15th.

He was alongside Woods as a result and the group on six under also contained Cabrera, Lee Janzen, Kirk Triplett and David Duval.