Tiger Woods tips his cap after making a birdie putt at the 18th hole. Photo / Reuters
Thousand Oaks, California - Tiger Woods shrugged off any hint of rust after a 2-1/2 month break to charge four shots clear in the second round of golf's Target World Challenge today.
Hunting his eighth victory of the year, the world No 1 fired a sparkling 10-under-par 62
to equal the course record at Sherwood Country Club.
That gave Woods a 13-under total of 131 and ideally placed to win his fourth title in the elite 16-man tournament which he has hosted since 2000.
"I hit some good shots but I made some bombs out there," Woods said after holing an eight-foot birdie putt at the last.
"The only difference today was I made some good putts," he added, referring to his double bogey on the final hole in the opening round.
"I didn't throw away a good round like yesterday. I am very pleased with the way I hit the golf ball today."
World No 3 Jim Furyk birdied the last two holes for a 67 to lie second, one ahead of fellow American Zach Johnson, who also carded a 67.
British Open champion Padraig Harrington, of Ireland, shot 67 to be another two strokes back at six-under in fourth place.
Making his first competitive appearance since the Presidents Cup in September, Woods revelled in near-perfect scoring conditions on a glorious winter's day.
One off the pace overnight, he birdied the second, fifth and sixth, where he nearly holed out with his second shot, to grab the outright lead.
He then struck a superb approach to six feet at the par-four ninth and, after getting his New Zealand caddie Steve Williams to check the line from both ends, coolly rolled in the birdie putt.
Out in four-under 32, Woods rolled in a 20-footer to eagle the par-five 11th before picking up more shots at the 12th and 13th to tighten his grip.
After saving par at the 16th where he pulled his tee shot left of a cart path and under a bush, he drained a 30-footer to birdie the par-three 17th before signing off in style at the last.
The previous course record of 63 was set by Harrington in 2002 with American Davis Love and New Zealander Michael Campbell following suit in 2003 and 2005 respectively.
- REUTERS
