AUGUSTA, Ga. » Fred Couples turned back the clock on his younger Masters rivals on Friday, firing a 5-under-par 67 that was the day’s best and left him in a tie for the lead with Jason Dufner after the second round.

Playing 20 years after his lone Masters title, Couples came within one stroke of his best score ever at Augusta National. At age 52, he became the oldest to hold the Masters lead, three years older than Lee Trevino in 1989.

“I feel like I’m very young when I get here,” said Couples, who is at 139.

Tiger Woods, on the other hand, appeared to be aging quickly during the course of a frustrating

3-over 75 that left him eight shots off the pace.

Plagued by a wild driver in the course of an opening 72, Woods saw the ailment spread to the rest of his bag. He took a penalty drop from the bank of Rae’s Creek at No.13, conked a spectator alongside No.15, and drop-kicked his club after a bad tee shot at No.16.

“I didn’t quite have it today with my swing, and unfortunately I just had to hang in there and be patient,” Woods said. “I played the par 3s in 3 over and the par-5s not so good, either.”

Woods parred all four of Augusta National’s par 5s — just the third time in 18 years that he’s failed to birdie at least one.

Dufner had a chance to hold the lead by himself when a birdie at the par-3 16th moved him to 6-under for the week. But he bogeyed No. 18 after picking up mud on his golf ball, giving him a 70 on the day.

“I’m just trying to have a nice round of golf,” said the unexcitable Dufner. “Play well, commit to my shots and let the rest take care of itself.”

The Alabama pro had a chance to win the PGA Championship last year, losing a playoff to Keegan Bradley after three bogeys in his final four holes helped dissipate a five-shot lead. He’s still seeking his first PGA Tour victory.

“It didn’t quite work,” he said, “but it carried over into this year.”

First-round leader Lee Westwood also stood at 6 under going to the final hole, but hooked his second shot and then three-putted for a double bogey. His 73 dropped him into a quintet one shot off the pace.

Joining Westwood at 4-under were U.S. Open titleholder Rory McIlroy (69), former British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen (72), Sergio Garcia (68) and Bubba Watson (71).

Phil Mickelson was three shots off the pace, recovering from an opening 74 with a Friday 68 to reach the midway point at 2-under.