Woods found Rae's Creek twice in his second round at Augusta

The four-time champion dropped three shots in his first seven holes and was fighting to stay in contention.

Woods, 31, chasing a third straight major and 13th in all, found Rae's Creek on 12 and 13 but escaped with just one dropped shot.

He maintained his focus to birdie the 15th and 17th, and afterwards claimed he was still "right in the ball game".

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In all, Woods hit only five fairways but made 27 putts. He added: "The whole idea is to never make a double here.

"You just plod along and try to put the ball in the right spots if you can. If you can't, just somehow don't have any wrecks out there.

"With the conditions coming, we'll all have to grind. It doesn't matter whether you're a rookie or a veteran."

Woods also remarkably pulled out of his drive during the downswing on the 13th when the shadow of a bird distracted him.

I felt like I broke my back, my wrist, my neck, legs Tiger Woods

The clubhead passed the ball on the tee but Woods was not penalised as he was seen to alter the course of his swing to abort the shot.

"Birds flew right over me, I stopped it somehow," he said.

"I felt like I broke my back, my wrist, my neck, legs. I don't know how those baseball players do it, that check-swing.

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"I felt like the shaft was going to snap because the head passed forward."

Playing partner Paul Casey, who outscored Woods by six shots, added: "Of all the things I've seen him do, it was unbelievable.