The Flesch is strong on return

American Steve Flesch shot a best-of-the-week second round 67 to move into contention at the halfway stage of the Masters.

Three iron to three feet sets up eagle at 13

American Steve Flesch shot a best-of-the-week second round 67 to move into contention at the halfway stage of the Masters. The highlight of the left-hander's round was an eagle three at 13 - he fired a three-iron 234 yards to three feet - as he returned to Augusta after a two-year absence. "I played great," Flesch said after posting a five-under total of 139. "The way I planned on playing this week was attack the par-fives when I could. "Not necessarily go for them in two, because getting far enough out there now, as wet as it is, I'm not getting much roll on my driver. "If I got a chance to go for one I would but otherwise just lay up and let my wedge kind of do the work therea and that's kind of how it's been working out." The 40-year-old won twice on the PGA Tour last year to book a return to Augusta and he is delighted to be back. "It's one of my favourite events," he said. "I got here on Sunday, had three good days of practice and was looking forward to the week. I'm hitting the ball well and that hard work is paying off right now." Of the eagle at the 13th which earned him some coveted Augusta crystal, he added: "I made a good swing, I hit it flush and I actually thought when it landed on the green it went over. "I gave my club back to the caddie and then all of a sudden you could hear the crowd kind of groaning a little bit and I saw the ball roll down there a couple feet from the hole." Flesch tied for 29th on his last appearance at the Masters in 2005.