Woods two shots off pace at Masters

Published>Sat, Apr 10 10 12:12 AM

Tiger Woods made an erratic start to Friday's second round at the U.S. Masters, offsetting an early birdie with a bogey at the fourth to stay at four under par overall after 10 holes.

That left the world number one two strokes behind pacesetting Americans Fred Couples and Ricky Barnes and Britain's Ian Poulter on a glorious spring day at Augusta National.

First-round leader Couples, the 1992 champion, was level for the day after 13 holes, the long-hitting Barnes had completed nine and Englishman Poulter 10.

Only 10 players out on the course were under par for the round with tricky pin positions and Augusta's notorious swirling winds making club selection difficult.

Again watched by huge galleries on his highly anticipated return to competition after a self-imposed break of almost five months, Woods made a scrambling par at the first after pulling his tee shot well left into pine trees.

He recovered with a low, punched hook off pine straw on to the fairway before getting up and down from just short of a greenside bunker to stay at four under overall.

Woods, who wore sunglasses in between every shot due to the glare and high pollen count, birdied the par-five second after chipping from just off the green to within three feet of the cup and knocking in the putt.

Wearing a black sweater and black trousers, the 14-times major champion tipped his cap to acknowledge the cheers from the crowd packed around the second green.

TIGER STUMBLES

After narrowly missing a long-range birdie attempt at the third, Woods stumbled at the par-three fourth where he pulled his iron shot well left after twice changing clubs on the tee.

From behind the left greenside bunker, he hit a lob wedge to 10 feet but missed the par putt to slip back to four under overall.

Woods was again in crowd-pleasing mode, having promised on Monday to give more respect to the game and the fans following startling revelations about his extra-marital affairs at the end of last year.

After teeing off at the par-three sixth, he spotted a young boy wearing a baseball cap with 'TW' emblazoned on the front and he put a huge grin on the youngster's face by giving him a friendly hand slap as he walked by.

Woods failed to birdie the par-five eighth which he had eagled the previous day, his wedge approach screwing back 75 feet from the pin and he did well to two-putt from there for par.

Conditions are expected to remain sunny for the rest of the round with a chance of winds gusting up to 32-kph later.

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