Tiger Woods Has Still Got It!

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Woods storms back with 62

It doesn’t take the world No 1 long to rediscover his form as he opens up a four-shot lead in the second round

Mark Lamport

AN END-OF-SEASON bunfight it may be, but whenever Tiger Woods shoots 62, the golf world tends to sit up and take notice. And when he does it in only his second competitive round after putting his feet up for almost three months, it is proof positive he hasn’t been wasting his time.

Woods had opened the Target World Challenge with a 69, marred by an ugly double-bogey at the final hole. He admitted that it upset him, and it was obvious that he intended to put it behind him the only way he knows how when he stepped on to the first tee at Sherwood Country Club to begin the second round.

Woods credited his stunning round to his putting. “I hit the ball just a little better than I did yesterday, but I made a lot more putts. I made some bombs out there,” said the 31-year-old. “I am very pleased.”

The world No 1, who has had only four lower rounds in his career, finished the day 13 under with his best score since firing a 61 at the 2005 Buick Open. It gave him a four-stroke lead over Jim Furyk, whom he had trailed by one at the start of the day.

It took Woods only six holes to erase a one-stroke deficit and regain the lead. He birdied the second and fifth holes to catch Furyk, who made a birdie on the first hole and then parred the next eight.

Woods took the lead when he nearly holed out at the sixth. His approach shot hit the front of the cup, rolled past it and spun back to within six inches.

A six-under-par back nine doubled his lead and he was five in front until Furyk birdied the 18th hole to finish with a 67.

Masters champion Zach Johnson is third on eight under, with Open champion Padraig Harrington two shots further back after a 67.

The performance of the day, however, came from Colin Montgomerie. The Scot had a shocking opening round of 80 and looked as though he would rather be anywhere else. To his credit, he stormed back with a 67 to bring him back to three over, although that was only good enough to be next-to-last in the elite 16-man field after South Africa’s Rory Sabbatini had an 81. Final round, today, Setanta Sports 1, 8pm

Source: Times Online