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TULSA, Oklahoma - Nothing annoys Tiger Woods more than wasting opportunities to win golf majors but he was mad after narrowly missing out on shooting a record 62 at the US PGA Championship on Friday.
The world number one lipped out with a birdie putt from 15
feet at the last and had to settle for a record-equalling seven-under-par 63 at a sun-baked Southern Hills Country Club.
"I hit a good putt, and I thought I made it," three-times champion Woods told reporters after ending the second round two strokes clear of the field on six-under 134.
"It would have been nice to have gotten a record and got a three-shot lead going into the weekend. The good thing is I hit a good putt, and that's the important part. It just didn't go in.
"I was just trying to get myself back in this tournament. And lo and behold, here I am."
Woods, hunting a 13th major title this week, became the 21st player to shoot a 63 in one of golf's grand slam events.
Six off the pace at the start of the day, Woods treated the swarming galleries at Southern Hills to a master class as he reeled off eight birdies, one chip-in and a solitary bogey.
He needed only 24 putts on greens he described as a little bumpy in the late afternoon, but failed to sink the putt that would have earned him another slice of golfing history.
"I was trying to make it," the 31-year-old American said of his left-to-right breaking attempt.
"I hit it a little bit firm but I thought I made it because it was breaking at the end. I knew it broke a lot more at the end than at the beginning.
"It started diving. Evidently didn't want to go in."
Long motivated by tournament victories, and especially the record 18 majors held by his childhood idol Jack Nicklaus, Woods was delighted to have taken control at Southern Hills.
The game's leading player has triumphed seven times out of seven when holding at least a share of the 36-hole lead in majors.
"That certainly does give you confidence, there's no doubt," he said of his 100 per cent success rate in golf's biggest events. "I know what to do. It's just a matter of going out there and doing it.
"We've got a long way to go. We're only at the halfway point. I need to continue to do what I'm doing. I know there are a lot of guys playing well, and hopefully I can play a little bit better."
Eager to win his first major since last year's PGA Championship at Medinah, Woods said he had played almost as well on Thursday when he opened with a 71.
"I felt almost as good yesterday with my ball striking," he added. "I just lost the round a little bit there in the middle part of the round. I never got it back.
"As I said yesterday, I hit the ball better than my score indicated. And I felt good about today because I hit the ball well yesterday."
Scott Verplank currently sits in second at four under and Geoff Ogily and Stephen Ames are one back in third.
LOWEST SCORES ACHIEVED IN MAJOR HISTORY
(US unless stated, all scores 63)
Masters
Nick Price (Zimbabwe), 1986, third round (nine under)
Greg Norman (Australia), 1996, first round (nine under)
US Open
Johnny Miller, 1973 (Oakmont), final round (eight under)
Jack Nicklaus, 1980 (Baltusrol), first round (seven under)
Tom Weiskopf, 1980 (Baltusrol), first round (seven under)
Vijay Singh (Fiji), 2003 (Olympia Fields), second round (seven under)
British Open
Mark Hayes, 1977 (Turnberry), second round (seven under)
Isao Aoki (Japan), 1980 (Muirfield), third round (eight under)
Greg Norman (Australia), 1986 (Turnberry), second round (seven under)
Paul Broadhurst (Britain), 1990 (St. Andrews), third round (nine under)
Jodie Mudd, 1991 (Birkdale), final round (seven under)
Nick Faldo (Britain), 1993 (Royal St. George's), final round (seven under)
Payne Stewart, 1993 (Royal St. George's), final round (seven under)
US PGA Championship
Bruce Crampton (Australia), 1975 (Firestone), second round (seven under)
Raymond Floyd, 1982 (Southern Hills), first round (seven under)
Gary Player (South Africa), 1984 (Shoal Creek), second round (nine under)
Vijay Singh (Fiji), 1993 (Inverness), second round (eight under)
Michael Bradley, 1995 (Riviera), first round (eight under)
Brad Faxon, 1995 (Riviera), first round (eight under)
Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain), 2000 (Valhalla), third round (nine under)
Mark O'Meara, 2001 (Atlanta Athletic Club), second round (seven under)
Thomas Bjorn (Denmark), 2005 (Baltusrol), second round (seven under)
Tiger Woods, 2007 (Southern Hills), second round (seven under)
- REUTERS, NEWSTALK ZB
