Jason Day heads a quartet of Australians hoping to make Masters history

Jason Day is determined to end Australia's Masters jinx after he vaulted into the 36-hole lead at Augusta National.

The 2011 runner-up carded a best-of-the-day 68 to reach six under par and claim a one-shot lead over compatriot Marc Leishman and veteran American Fred Couples.

No Australian has ever won the Masters, but Day and Leishman are nicely placed to break the drought while Adam Scott (-3) and John Senden (-2) are also in contention.

"Obviously there's a lot of pressure on my shoulders, being from Australia and no Australian has ever won the event," said Day.

"They have been very, very close, but I've just got to try to get that out of my mind and just plug away. It's all how you look at it. If you look at it as pressure, you're going to worry about it more.

"If you look at it as a challenge and an opportunity to be the first and stay positive with it, you know, it only motivates you to play well.

"So I've just got to really not think about it at all I really need to stay committed to the game plan, stay aggressive to my target and just not worry about anything else but hitting the shot in front of me."

Leishman, who added a 73 to his opening 66, added: "It's been pretty impressive so far. Hopefully it's like that on Sunday night. So you know, who knows, hopefully one of us can knock it off."

Senden was set to post a 68 until he bogeyed 17 and 18 to slip to two under, and he said: "I was in there for a while and I was really happy the way I held my composure with the wind and the conditions.

"But anything in the red is a good chance for the weekend. It was good to see Jason and Marc there too. It gives you a lot of inspiration to try and be part of a team, the Aussie team. You got to get into it."