Darren Clarke doesn't consider patience to be among his strongest qualities, but the demands of the Masters have forced him to adapt a bit.

``Patience is not one of my virtues,'' Clarke said. ``But you've got to use it around here, and that's what I've managed to do so far.''

Clarke's on-again, off-again game was on at an opportune time in Friday's second round of the 65th Masters. The 32-year-old from Northern Ireland started the day at even par but vaulted himself into contention with a 5-under-par 67.

``You have to stay patient out here,'' said Clarke, who posted six birdies on the day and was 3-under after nine holes. ``Don't hit it in the wrong place. If you try to look for birdies on this golf course, that is when you make bogey or double (bogey).''

Clarke's early tee time of 8:44 a.m. helped immensely, allowing him to take advantage of the moist greens that hadn't yet been hardened by the rising afternoon temperatures.

Clarke got a jolt of momentum with a birdie on the par-4 first, then parred the next five holes before catching fire. He birdied holes seven and eight, then continued his surge on the back nine with two more on the 10th and 11th holes.

Clarke slipped at the 16th with a bogey but recovered on the 425-yard, par-4 17th with a birdie to help him close with 67.

``The greens were still a little softer than we're used to, but they picked up speed in the afternoon,'' he said. ``As soon as they start to firm up a little bit and get faster, then we're going to see the fun begin.''

Clarke benefited on the greens from a morning change in putters. He sank a 20-footer on the first hole, a 10-footer on the eighth and an eight-footer on the 17th.

``It was a little bit heavier, and I was able to get it to the hole,'' he said.

Clarke has three years of experience at the Masters, having tied for eighth in his 1998 debut. He missed the cut in 1999 and tied for 40th last year.

After a banner year in 2000 that saw him beat Tiger Woods in the WGC-Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship, Clarke has been inconsistent in 2001.

He was cut from one European Tour event and tied for 58th in the other. The 12th-year professional won the Dimension Data Pro-Am on the Southern Africa Tour, but missed the cut in the Mercedes-Benz Open.

Clarke came to the U.S. for a Masters tuneup and missed the cut at the Bay Hill Invitational. Then he tied for 26th two weeks ago at The Players Championship.

Clarke said he thinks Augusta National suits his game, and Friday's performance gave little reason to doubt him.

``Anytime I get in there and give myself a chance to possibly win the tournament, that's great,'' he said.

Patience wasn't the only virtue Clarke adopted to negotiate the Masters.

``I'm just happy-go-lucky today,'' he said. ``I wish I was like this all the time.''