Lyle pans critics

Sandy Lyle celebrated the 25th anniversary of his Masters victory by making his first cut at Augusta since 2009 - thanks to a putter he admits resembles a frying pan.

Lyle added a 72 to his opening 73 to comfortably qualify for the final two rounds on one over par, the 55-year-old Scot making four birdies with a massive black putter known as a 'Black Swan'.

"It hasn't turned into an ugly duckling yet, has it?'" joked Lyle, who also has a distinctive pause in his backswing. "I used it at the (Senior) PGA last year and I got lots of grief for it. But I finished fourth with it, so I was very happy with it. It could be anything. A frying pan, whatever."

Lyle has finished under par after 72 holes just once at Augusta since 1992, the year Fred Couples won the Green Jacket.

But with 53-year-old Couples setting the clubhouse target at five under par as the second round began to draw to a close, Lyle was asked if he could get into contention for an unlikely second title.

"Oh, I'll cross that bridge when I get near it," he added. "I'm giving myself a chance to obviously play tomorrow, so I'm highly delighted with that.

"That's what I came out to do. And even now I'm right there to get back in there."