Last year’s runner-up Tim Clark, from South Africa, and American debutant Brett Wetterich now lead the way on two under par, one ahead of home town player Vaughn Taylor.

Vijay Singh, the 2000 winner with two titles to his name already this year, is lurking dangerously alongside Rose, while four-time winner Tiger Woods will still be many people's favourite at five behind.

Asked if it was possible to have fun when the fast-running course is playing this hard Rose said: “Yeah, in a sadistic way.

“I think you’ve got to enjoy the challenge of it. Take the score out of the equation and just try and deal with everything better than any of your fellow competitors really.”

The 26-year-old, who on his last visit three years ago led at halfway and then slumped to an 81, contended himself with a gentle slide down the leaderboard late yesterday rather than a tumble off it.

“I’m happy really – I think,” he said after going from a bogey-free first round to a birdie-free second one.

“It was a hard, hard round of golf, way harder than yesterday. I think we got the tough end of the draw as it turned out (he was last out) – greens were rock hard, fast, spiked up in the evening and so it was very, very difficult out there.

“I managed to create some birdie opportunities which I didn’t make (he missed from inside eight feet on the 13th, 14th and 15th), but to shoot three over and not have a birdie was probably a decent round.”

Slightly rushed before teeing off following treatment on his troublesome back, Rose immediately dropped a shot and then had another bogey at the 10th. But the one that really hurt was a three-putt from the back fringe of the 18th.

“Obviously I’d like to be one or two better, but that really only matters come Sunday. I’m in a great spot and I would have taken it before the week started.

“Certainly you don’t get conditions like this week-in week-out on the PGA Tour, but there are weeks when we play firm and fast like this and those are the week that do prepare you in some way for this event.

“A major seems to be what an examination paper is – to test players to the limits.”

Some other Europeans came through that test with flying colours in the second round to keep their hopes alive as well.

The two low rounds of the week were 68s from Padraig Harrington and Paul Casey, lifting them to one over and three over respectively.

The Dubliner sits in eighth place alongside David Howell and Welshman Bradley Dredge, whose debut continued with a two under 70, and he has a chance to create history.

Nobody has won at Augusta National after an opening 77 or an eight-stroke deficit after the first round, but Harrington’s seven-birdie performance opens up the distinct possibility.

“I thought the course was an excellent test,” he commented. “It’s a good mental test, knowing when to go for pins and when to play safe.

“If you play well you feel you can shoot a good score. Hit a good shot and you may make eagle, hit a bad shot you’ve got a chance of a double bogey.”

Casey had a 40-foot eagle putt on the second – just after Luke Donald pitched in from 40 yards for a three as well – and playing partner Woods said afterwards: “Paul played just one of the great rounds you’ll ever see.”

Donald is alongside Woods and Casey on three over, two ahead of defending champion Phil Mickelson. But among those already out are Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia, Darren Clarke and Kenneth Ferrie.

And Scot Richie Ramsay, the reigning US Amateur champion, came home in 43 to miss the cut by four. Peter McEvoy (1978) remains the last British amateur to play all four rounds.