It doesn't happen frequently to the world's best golfer and perhaps Tiger Woods' return at the masters was driven on by adrenalin. But he's missed the cut for only the sixth time in his professional career after producing a woeful second round of 79 at the Quail Hollow championship.

The PGA event is his second since taking a five-month break from the game following revelations about his private life. Woods looked like at weekend hacker as his game unraveled on the back nine. He bogeyed the 10th, 11th and 12th holes to suddenly drop back to five-over-par. He stopped the rot with a par at the 13th before making a double-bogey with a water hazard at the 14th when he pitched over the green and into the sink.

Then Woods finished at 9 over par and missed cut. As Woods struggled, American Billy Mayfair shot 68 to lead at eight-under, one ahead of Argentina's Angel Cabrera.