AUGUSTA, Georgia (AFP) - Tiger Woods roared into contention Friday at the 75th Masters by displaying the long-absent form that made him a 14-time major champion even as young stars Rory McIlroy and Jason Day shined.

Northern Ireland’s McIlroy fired a three-under par 69 to stand on 10-under par 134 after 36 holes for a two-shot edge over Day, a Masters debutante from Australia whose eight-under 64 matched Augusta National’s lowest second round.

“I’ve got myself into great position in this golf tournament. I feel as if I’m hitting it as well as anyone else,” McIlroy said.

“I look down everyone in this field and, at some point or another, I’ve beaten them before, so there’s no reason why I can’t beat them again.”

But Woods, chasing the all-time record 18 won by Jack Nicklaus, stole the show with seven birdies in the final 11 holes, the last an eight-foot putt at 18 for a 66 that left him sharing third with South Korean K.J. Choi on 137.

“I’m three back. I’m right where I need to be,” Woods said. “Hopefully tomorrow I can piece together another good round, stay patient and plod my way along.”

McIlroy, 21, and Day, 23, both idolized Woods and as they play together Saturday for the third day in a row, he will be in the group ahead of them.

“I’ll just be concentrating on the golf course,” McIlroy 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 don’t really care what anyone else does. 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, 35, has been mired in the longest win drought of his career, having not won since the Australian Masters in November 2009 and since a sex scandal erupted weeks later that led to a divorce and destroyed his iconic image.

But on the legendary course where he shared fourth last year in his first event after a five-month golf hiatus, Woods overcame a poor start of three bogeys and two birdies through seven holes that left him flirting with the cut.

Former World No. 1 Woods, now ranked seventh, began runs of three birdies in a row at the par-5 eighth and 13th holes, with a tricky par putt at the 11th in between.

It was shotmaking not seen from Woods since the scandal began and served notice he is truly in the hunt for his fifth green jacket, the symbol of Masters supremacy.