Golf: Rory McIlroy insists he is ready to win his first major — but a month after saying Tiger Woods was playing "like an ordinary golfer" he will now have to fight him off to land the US Masters. At 10 under par after a 69 in yesterday's second round, the 21-year-old goes into the weekend at Augusta two ahead of Australian Jason Day.

Up from 24th to joint third after a nine-birdie 66, however, is none other than Woods, setting up the prospect of another thriller over the closing 36 holes. Asked how he is going to feel with a Tiger — a 14-major, four-time Masters winner Tiger on his tail — McIlroy said: “I’ll just be concentrating on the golf course.

“If you start thinking about anyone else here or let your mind wander at all it can cost you a couple of shots. I’ll be focusing on my targets, where I want my ball to go on the greens, and that’s all I can do.

“I don’t really care what anyone else does. I don’t need to know. It will be great for the tournament if he’s up there, but I’m two shots ahead (of the field, three in front of Woods and Korean KJ Choi) and I’m in a better position.”

Before it got too dark last night, though, McIlroy went to work on his putting, aware that he could have been even further in front.

“It’s always hard to back up a great round,” added the world number nine, who had opened with a 65. “I played pretty similar today to be honest, but didn’t hole many putts on the back nine. It would have been nice if I had, but I can’t really complain — I’m in the lead going into the third round of The Masters.

“I feel comfortable, but the only reason I feel comfortable is because I am playing well. I feel my preparation has been very good and if I continue playing like I am I’ve got a great chance. I’m playing smart and the only bogey I’ve had (he could not get up and down from sand at the 12th yesterday) did not come off a bad shot.”

Is he ready to win a major then?

“Of course,” he answered.

McIlroy has a lot of time to kill before teeing off again, but he has some friends staying with him and they have even had an old lady in a nearby house complaining about the noise when they played some American football in the street.

“I think it’s a big help having the guys with me this week, especially in the position I’m in, because I can switch off,” he said. “I’d rather talk about anything but golf whenever I leave this place.

“I look down at everyone in this field and at some point or another I’ve beaten them before (either in Dubai or Quail Hollow, his only two victories as a professional so far). So there’s no reason why I can’t beat them again.”

McIlroy will be paired with Day for the third day running and the 23-year-old, trying to become the first Masters debutant to win since Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979, produced a marvellous 64 to get in the hunt.

Joint overnight leader Alvaro Quiros managed only a 73 and dropped to joint fifth with another Australian, Geoff Ogilvy, but Lee Westwood’s 67 — it contained an eagle on the 15th — brought him into the group tied for seventh.

Last year’s runner-up was five clear at one point in the third round last April and resuming five behind tells him he is far from out of it.

“I know how quickly a five-shot lead can evaporate,” he said. “It’s part of the value of being experienced. You’ve got to be patient and expect the unexpected really.”

It could yet be a shoot-out between him and his stablemate McIlroy, of course, and when that happened at the 2009 Dubai World Championship he really bossed things.

“It’s irrelevant who it’s with,” said Westwood. “I’m not bothered at all.”