Tiger back on prowl, Chopra leads Western Open

LEMONT, Illinois - Tiger Woods used a long practice session to hone his swing and it paid dividends as the world number one posted a four-under-par 67 in the second round at the Western Open.

Woods, struggling to shake the rust after playing just one tournament - the US Open - since April's Masters, recovered from his opening 72 at Cog Hill to put himself in position to qualify for weekend play.

The 30-year-old American was still a long ways from the lead, trailing early second-round leader Daniel Chopra of Sweden by seven strokes.

Woods said he spent more than two hours on the range working on various things following his late-day start in the opening round.

"We had to organize a bunch of things," Woods told reporters. "Today I drove it great, hit my irons better."

Woods missed a pair of six-foot birdie chances on his last two holes among other lost opportunities after starting his round with four birdies over his first six holes.

Chopra, who by contrast is playing in his 20th event of the season, carded his second successive round of five-under-par 66 for a 36-hole total of 10-under 132.

World number three Vijay Singh was in second place after his morning round on another warm, sunny day in the Chicago suburbs with his second 67 for an eight-under-par 134 total.

One more shot back was Trevor Immelman of South Africa, who posted a 66 for 135.

Briton Luke Donald, who slid back to one-under 70 after closing his first round with a double-bogey on Thursday, shot 67 to join Australians Stuart Appleby, Robert Allenby and Stephen Leaney and American Ryder Cup hopeful Zach Johnson at 137.

Late starter Phil Mickelson, who had opened with 67, bogeyed four holes in a row from the second to drop to even par.

The 32-year-old Chopra, born to a Swedish mother and Indian father, and raised in India by his grandparents, birdied seven of his last nine holes to seize the outright lead.

"I feel like I have the game to win," said Chopra, whose best finish this year was a tie for fifth at Pebble Beach. "The hardest part of winning on the PGA Tour is the mental aspect, is believing that you can."

- REUTERS