AUGUSTA, United States (AFP) - Ernie Els revisited the scene of his Masters meltdown in Friday's second round and stared down the putting demons that destroyed him a day earlier.

The 46-year-old South African walked off the first green with a double-bogey 6 after missing a two-footer, but that at least was three shots better off than his previous effort.

On that occasion on Thursday, Els six-putted for a nine, the worst score ever on that hole in Masters history, blaming it on "snakes and stuff" that had invaded his brains.

The four-time major winner again sent his approach shot well wide left off the green and then chipped onto the surface.

His long lag putt was wide by two feet and he pushed that past the hole before tapping in for his six, meaning that he had dropped seven shots to par on hole one alone in two rounds.

That left him at 10-over par and with little to no chance of making the cut for the weekend, especially with the dire state of his putting.