Woods overcomes blips to take lead

Published on Saturday 26 September 2009 21:47

TIGER Woods wasted a chance to take a commanding lead in the Tour Championship with an untidy finish to his second round, ending a sun-splashed day just one stroke ahead of the chasing pack. The world No1 lipped out with short putts at the 15th and 16th before bogeying the par-3 last for a two-under-par 68 at East Lake Golf Club.

That left Woods on five-under 135 in the PGA Tour's fourth and final FedExCup play-off event, a stroke in front of playing partner Padraig Harrington (69) and overnight leader Sean O'Hair (70) of the US. South African Ernie Els, boosted by four birdies in five holes from the eighth, was alone in fourth place at three under after a 66.

"The day as a whole was a good day," Woods said after putting himself in position to clinch the FedExCup for a second time, along with a $10 million bonus. "I shot under par and I got myself in the lead. But it was a day in which I hit the ball very well starting out, didn't make any putts and hit everything on the high side.

"Then the back nine I hit some scratchy shots, but also hit some really good ones, too," added the American, who is hunting his seventh tour victory of the season. "I had an opportunity at 15 and 16 to make a couple of putts, didn't do it, but made a good save at 17 and unfortunately just made a four at 18."

Woods, champion here in 2007, produced a sizzling three-birdie run from the seventh to go one shot clear. He then struck a superb 5-wood uphill from 247 yards at the par-5 15th to four feet, but lipped out with his eagle putt. The tap-in birdie put him two ahead of the field.

Another brilliant approach followed at the 16th, his ball ending up less than four feet from the pin, but Woods again surprisingly lipped out and had to settle for a par four.

After parring 17 despite finding a fairway bunker off the tee, Woods overshot the green at the last and failed to reach the putting surface with his chip from tangly rough.

Sweden's Sophie Gustafson retained the lead in the Longs Drugs Challenge on the Blackhawk Country Club course in Danville, California after shooting a 3-under 69 in the second round. Gustafson held a one-stroke lead over Lorena Ochoa, Maria Hjorth and Shanshan Feng. North Berwick's Catriona Matthew is seven shots off the pace after a second-round 70, while compatriot Janice Moodie is another three behind following a 71.