Date: August 11, 2007
Author:

Tiger burns the field

Tiger Woods finally caught fire in the sizzling heat at Southern Hills as the world number one moved a step closer to his 13th major title with a stunning second round seven-under-par 63 to stake a claim for the Wanamaker Trophy. Woods&apos 63 was only the 23rd in major championship history – there has never been a 62. Only 21 players have shot 63 in a major with Greg Norman and Vijay Singh turning the trick twice. Only a lip-out at 18 kept Woods from history, but it seems the field will be hard pressed to keep Woods from landing major championship number 13 on Sunday. Woods had an 18-footer on the last hole to trump them all, and it went about halfway down, but where his long putt on the 12th curled around the cup and fell, this one popped out to keep a 62 the Holy Grail of major championship golf. “I hit a good putt and I thought I made it. It would have been nice to have got the record,” said Woods, who will look to become only the fifth player of the previous 22 players to shoot a 63 to go on and win a tournament. “The good thing is, I hit a good putt. That&aposs the important part, it just didn&apost go in.” Woods is 28-for-34 in his career when he has at least a share of the second round lead, but a closer look shows he is seven-for-seven in majors when ahead after 36 holes, the last time coming at the 2006 British Open. Despite the stats, and his dominant performance on Friday, Woods is taking nothing for granted. “It certainly does give you confidence, there&aposs no doubt,” he added. “I know what to do.” “It&aposs just a matter of going out there and doing it. We&aposve got a long way to go. We&aposre only at the halfway point. There are a lot of holes left to play and I need to continue to do what I&aposm doing.” Woods&apos best round ever in a major, eclipsing a 64 in the 1997 British Open where he tied for 24th, impressed playing partner Bob Tway, who marched alongside Woods for the first two rounds. “It&aposs always good to play with him and this golf course really sets up well for him,” said Tway. “It is great to see how, probably the best player to ever play this game, goes about his business.” Woods&apos business is usually winning majors, but this year he came up empty at The Masters and U.S. Open despite grabbing a share of the lead on Sunday at each. He was never fully in contention at Carnoustie, so talk early in the week was focused on Woods&apos so-called drought. That looks like it will come to an end here this week, especially after Woods rained in eight birdies in a nearly flawless round on Friday.