McIlroy, 27, followed an opening 72 on Thursday with a one-over 73 on Friday to leave him five behind a leading quartet of Spain's Sergio Garcia, American 18-hole leader Charley Hoffman, his compatriot Rickie Fowler and Belgium's Thomas Pieters.

Hoffman, 40, saw his four-shot 18-hole lead eroded from seven to four under following a three-over 75 but stayed atop the leaderboard, where he was joined by Garcia, seeking his first major win in his 74th start, who described his 71-69 start to his 19th Masters as “probably the best I've played at Augusta”. Pieters joined them with a 68 and three became four when Fowler, also chasing his majors breakthrough, fired the round of the day, a five-under 67.

McIlroy is confident he can stay in contention as the 81st Masters moves into the weekend.

Despite his disappointment at a closing birdie five at the 18th, the Irishman feels he can bridge the gap to the leaders and launch his drive for a green jacket.

Watch @McIlroyRory chip in for birdie on No. 6 to get to 1-under par. #themasters pic.twitter.com/kFoCE1FiAT

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 7, 2017

“I’m within five,” McIlroy said. “I’m close enough, within five, and I knew anything around even par was going to be decent today.”

It could have been even better for the Irishman as he played the last and sent in a laserlike iron approach to the elevated green, only to see it strike the flagstick, bouncing sideways and off the putting surface, from where he could only bogey.

“I’m a little disappointed with what happened at the last there, but these things happen and if I can get off to a fast start tomorrow, a couple under through three, I’ll be right there.

“I thought the shot on the last was perfect. It was a good number, one of those ones where you had 10 or 11 yards past the pin and you could bring it back in, I hit a really good shot but it was unfortunate.

“There are still 36 more holes left to go – a long way in this tournament and I know what can happen, good and bad around this golf course. A couple of years ago over the weekend I shot 10 under par on the weekend and Jordan (Spieth) was just too far ahead, and there are other times I’ve shot bad weekends and went the other way.

“Anything’s possible out there but I feel like I’m playing well enough and I’m in a good frame of mind where I can go out there and attack and make some birdies.

“You’ve got a couple of guys in at four under par and the wind is supposed to be non-existent this weekend – down to five or 10 miles per hour which is nothing here. I would say a couple of rounds in the mid to high 60s you would have to shoot to have a chance.

“Last year in the final group (on Saturday alongside halfway leader Spieth) in similar condition to this, I was more in defence mode rather than attack. It’s a completely different mindset going out there to make birdies rather than not to make bogey. I’ll approach tomorrow with a completely different mindset.”

American debutant Will McGirt stands alone at two under in fifth place while several big guns will chase the leaders on Saturday. Olympic champion Justin Rose bogeyed the last to fall into a tie for sixth on one under with rising Spanish star Jon Rahm, making his debut aged 22, Ryan Moore and 57-year-old Fred Couples, the 1992 Masters champion.

Moore shot a 69 while both Couples and Rahm, like McGirt bidding for a first rookie victory since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, fired second-round 70s.

A trio of fellow former champions, Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson are tied on level par just four shots off the pace on a quality leaderboard that augurs well for a dramatic weekend of major championship golf.