GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Tiger Woods had the best five-hole start of his career, chipping in for eagle and making four birdies en route to a season-low 9-under-par 63 on Friday in the Buick Open.
Woods was coming off what he said was probably the worst putting day of his career Thursday, leading to a lackluster 71 in his first competitive round since missing the cut at the British Open.
He finished the day at 10-under. It was his best round, in relation to par, since an 11-under 61 at the 2005 Buick Open, when he also opened with a 71. The previous seven times Woods had a second-round 63, he went on to win.
John Senden shot a 66 to take the second-round lead at 14-under 130, two shots ahead of Michael Letzig (65) and another stroke in front of Vaughn Taylor (68) and Bill Lunde (65).
Woods entered the weekend four strokes back in a pack of six, including former Kent Denver standout Kevin Stadler, who shot his second 67 in a row.
John Daly, who said he has lost more than 80 pounds in the last four months after having Lap-Band surgery, almost hit rock bottom with an 88, his worst score in a regular PGA Tour event. He finished at 20-over 164.
“This is the most down I’ve ever been with my golf game,” Daly said.
Jackson atop Senior leaderboard
CARMEL, Ind. — Tennessee amateur Tim Jackson left Greg Norman and Joey Sindelar behind at the U.S. Senior Open.
Jackson, a 50-year-old real estate developer, shot a 5-under 67 at Crooked Stick to take the lead at 11-under 133 — matching the lowest 36-hole total in event history.
Norman stumbled early in the round, but recovered nicely, ending the round with two straight birdies to get to 8-under. He was three strokes back after a 70. Sindelar was a stroke behind Jackson.
Footnotes.
Catriona Matthew followed an eagle on the par-5 11th with a hole-in-one on the 12th and added a birdie on the par-4 13th to finish with a 5-under 67 for a share of the second-round lead of the Women’s British Open with Giulia Sergas (67—141) in Lytham St. Annes, England.
• Graeme Storm shot another 4-under 68 to share the lead with Steve Webster (70) after the second round of the Moravia Silesia Open in Celadna, Czech Republic.
The Associated Press
