Date: January 26, 2008
Author:

Baddeley in Tiger hunt

Aaron Baddeley has shot a five-under par round of 67 to move into a tie for fourth after the second round of the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines. The Australian carded six birdies and a solitary bogey to move to six-under par at the halfway point of the tournament. Tiger Woods is the man to catch though after shooting a seven-under-par 65 to open up a four-shot gap on the rest of the field. The three-time defending champion is at 12-under par after 36 holes in the $5.5 million (AUD) event and leads Kevin Streelman by four shots and Stewart Cink by five shots. Boo Weekley and Brad Adamonis are alongside Baddeley at six-under par. Stuart Appleby and Nathan Green also remain in touch at five-under par while Nathan Green is a further stroke behind at four-under par. After posting a 67 in the first round at the South Course, Woods fired seven birdies at the North Course, which is considered the easier of the two courses at Torrey Pines. Starting on the back nine, Woods began slowly with pars on his first three holes before making birdies on the 13th and the 16th. A birdie on his ninth hole moved Woods into a share of the lead with Streelman, and he followed it with three consecutive birdies from the first to third to build a three-shot lead. A closing birdie on the final hole gave Woods a four-stroke margin heading into the weekend. Streelman, an alternate who didn&apost know he was in the event until just before the first round started, held the lead early, getting to eight-under after making birdie on three of his first four holes on the South Course. Streelman carded a 69 that included four birdies and one bogey.