Woods Red-Hot in World Challenge


Tournament host Tiger Woods was on fire Friday in the second round of the $3.5 million Northwestern Mutual World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif.

Starting Friday four strokes behind 18-hole leader Zach Johnson, Woods carded five birdies on the front nine and five more on the home half for a pair of 31s and a 10-under 62 on the second straight unseasonably chilly day in Southern California.

Woods missed a birdie try on 18 that would have broken his own course record at Sherwood, which is hosting the event that benefits his Tiger Woods Foundation for the final year. It moves to Isleworth in Florida in 2014.

When asked by a TV reporter about his outstanding outing, Woods, a five-time winner of the invitational, said succinctly, there were "not many" shots he was displeased with Friday.

"I certainly hit it good obviously," he later told reporters. "I hit a lot of good shots and left myself in a lot of good spots."

Woods stands at 11-under 133, two ahead of Johnson, who followed up his opening 67 with a 68. Three back is Matt Kuchar, who also shot 68.

Six strokes behind the leader is two-time World Challenge winner Graeme McDowell, who rebounded from an even-par 72 Thursday with a 67, while seven back is Bubba Watson, who posted his second straight 70.

Tied for sixth at 141 in the 18-player - all of whom are ranked in the top-30 in the world - tournament are Bill Haas (68) and Jim Furyk (69), and 10 behind Woods are Keegan Bradley (68) and Ian Poulter (67).

The bottom half of the leaderboard lists Jason Day (68) and Webb Simpson (71) at 144; Jason Dufner (71) at 145; Jordan Spieth (72), Steve Stricker (74) and Lee Westwood (75) at 149; Rory McIlroy (77) and Hunter Mahan (80) at 6-over 150; and Dustin Johnson (79) at 9-over 153.

For more scoring details, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.