For the Record, Woods Has Lead

Aug 11, 06:12 AM

Current Headlines: By Jimmy Burch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Aug. 11--TULSA -- In a career defined by jaw-dropping numbers, Tiger Woods added a fresh digit to his glittering resume Friday at the PGA Championship.

Woods matched the lowest round in major-championship history with a 63 at Southern Hills Country Club.

His eight-birdie, one-bogey effort moved Woods into the lead by two strokes at 6-under par after 36 holes, at a course where history favors frontrunners. Of the six previous major champions crowned at Southern Hills, all held at least a share of the lead after 36 holes.

Asked if he deemed that a good omen heading into weekend rounds, Woods said: "Only if it continues."

Based on Friday's evidence, all the good vibes appear to be lining up on Woods' side of the ledger. Not only is he 7-for-7 in closing out majors when he's had a 36-hole lead, but he's playing some of his best golf of the season. A runaway winner at last week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Woods posted the 23rd round of 63 in major championship history.

He missed standing alone at 62 only because his 15-foot birdie putt at No. 18 spun halfway around the cup before staying out.

"I thought I made it," said Woods, adding that he felt "mad" when his final birdie attempt failed to drop. "It would have been nice to have gotten the record [alone]. But I guess 62 1/2 is pretty good."

Officially, of course, Woods' final tap-in counts as a full stroke, meaning his 63 puts him alongside Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Greg Norman and Vijay Singh in major-championship lore. He got there on the strength of his short game. Woods chipped in for one birdie (No. 14) and one-putted on 10 occasions, seven of them for birdies.

"That's why he's the best," said playing partner Bob Tway. "Obviously, I had a good seat and he made it look pretty easy. It's great to watch how the best player ever, in my opinion, gets it done."

Specifically, Woods put himself in position to hit quality approach shots by hitting a lot of irons off the tees while navigating Southern Hills' doglegs. Seven of his birdies came at par-4 or par-5 holes and he used only one driver -- at No. 5, a 653-yard par-5 -- while collecting those birdies. His longest birdie putt, at No. 4, covered 20 feet. Four others came from inside 8 feet.

But the biggest putt of the day was for par, a 35-footer at No. 12. It dropped after circling the lip of the cup, eliciting a fist pump from Woods, who went on to birdie the next three holes.

"That putt was huge, to keep the momentum of the round going," Woods said. "You never want to give back a stroke."

By the time he closed his round, Woods held a two-stroke lead over Dallas native Scott Verplank, who posted a bogey-free 66 to move to 4 under. Forced into a chase mode by Woods, Verplank said he hopes Southern Hills' history as a haven for frontrunners proves false during weekend rounds. But one pursuer is concerned.

Woody Austin, who stands at 2 under after a second-round 70, acknowledged that this event appears to be Woods' for the taking. He all but dismissed himself as a title contender after Friday's round.

"I've lost a great opportunity to be out front, because I've had too many chances," said Austin, who made only one birdie putt longer than 3 feet in his first two rounds. "When you're someone in my position, who has never won a major, you can't throw away all of these opportunities. I don't know how many 10- or 15-footers I've missed, but it's a lot. Tiger is the only guy who has the luxury of being able to come back after [squandering] that many missed chances and still win."

Now, Woods owns the lead at the PGA. As well as another milestone in the golf history book.

Leader board

-6 Tiger Woods 71-63--134 -4 Scott Verplank 70-66--136 -3 Geoff Ogilvy 69-68--137 -3 Stephen Ames 68-69--137 -2 Woody Austin 68-70--138 Notable E John Daly 67-73--140 +2 Phil Mickelson 73-69--142

That's as low as they go

Tiger Woods' 63 in Friday's second round of the PGA Championship matched the lowest score in major championship history. It was the 23rd score of 63 in a major, but the first by Woods.

PGA Champ. Year Rnd Tiger Woods 2007 2nd Thomas Bjorn 2005 3rd Mark O'Meara 2001 2nd JoseM. Olazabal 2000 3rd Brad Faxon 1995 4th Michael Bradley 1995 1st Vijay Singh 1993 1st Gary Player 1984 2nd Raymond Floyd* 1982 1st Bruce Crampton 1975 2nd

Masters Year Rnd Greg Norman 1996 1st Nick Price 1986 3rd

U .S. Open Year Rnd Vijay Singh 2003 2nd Tom Weiskopf 1980 1st Jack Nicklaus* 1980 1st Johnny Miller* 1973 4th

British Open Year Rnd Payne Stewart 1993 4th Nick Faldo 1993 2nd Jodie Mudd 1991 4th Paul Broadhurst 1990 3rd Greg Norman* 1986 2nd Isao Aoki 1980 3rd Mark Hayes 1977 2nd

*tournament champion

------

jburch@star-telegram.com Jimmy Burch, 817-390-7760

-----

To see more of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dfw.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.