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Woods overtakes Els to take the lead
Orlando, Mar 22: Tiger Woods surged ahead of Ernie Els at the Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando to build an ominous three-stroke lead over the field at the half-way point. Woods birdied six of the 11 holes he played Saturday morning at the weather-hit tournament to complete a seven-under-par 65 in the second round.
Orlando, Mar 22: Tiger Woods surged ahead of Ernie Els at the Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando to build an ominous three-stroke lead over the field at the half-way point. Woods birdied six of the 11 holes he played Saturday morning at the weather-hit tournament to complete a seven-under-par 65 in the second round.
"I got into a really good rhythm," Woods said. "You never would have known that if you had seen me warming up this morning."
Woods, among 61 players who failed to finish the their second rounds on Friday, carded a nine-under-par halfway score of 135, three strokes clear of Stewart Cink. Aaron Baddeley also was at six-under with two holes to play.
Els, the world number two playing against Woods for the first time this year in a 72-hole tournament, had been the clubhouse leader at five under when play was suspended by darkness on Friday.
Els saw his lead soon evaporate as Woods continued his bid to become the first player since Walter Hagen in the 1920s to win the same tournament four years in a row.
Woods' passion for the Bay Hill course showed early on Saturday, as he sank a 12-foot birdie on the par-three 17th. His finish was particularly strong with a birdie on the tough, par-three seventh followed by then holed about a 10-footer on the 467-yard ninth.
It proved to be a long and eventful second round for Woods. During the five-hour rain delay Friday, his girlfriend collapsed outside the clubhouse from food poisoning and dehydration.
Woods accompanied Elin Nordegren, 23, to the hospital in an ambulance. He said she was kept overnight to receive fluids, and released Saturday morning. Cink, who needs a victory this week to help his chances of getting into the Masters, carded his second consecutive 69 to reach 138 at the tournament's halfway stage.
Bureau Report
"I got into a really good rhythm," Woods said. "You never would have known that if you had seen me warming up this morning."
Woods, among 61 players who failed to finish the their second rounds on Friday, carded a nine-under-par halfway score of 135, three strokes clear of Stewart Cink. Aaron Baddeley also was at six-under with two holes to play.
Els, the world number two playing against Woods for the first time this year in a 72-hole tournament, had been the clubhouse leader at five under when play was suspended by darkness on Friday.
Els saw his lead soon evaporate as Woods continued his bid to become the first player since Walter Hagen in the 1920s to win the same tournament four years in a row.
Woods' passion for the Bay Hill course showed early on Saturday, as he sank a 12-foot birdie on the par-three 17th. His finish was particularly strong with a birdie on the tough, par-three seventh followed by then holed about a 10-footer on the 467-yard ninth.
It proved to be a long and eventful second round for Woods. During the five-hour rain delay Friday, his girlfriend collapsed outside the clubhouse from food poisoning and dehydration.
Woods accompanied Elin Nordegren, 23, to the hospital in an ambulance. He said she was kept overnight to receive fluids, and released Saturday morning. Cink, who needs a victory this week to help his chances of getting into the Masters, carded his second consecutive 69 to reach 138 at the tournament's halfway stage.
Bureau Report