World No. 1 Tiger Woods muscled his way towards a first European Tour victory in four years with a sizzling nine-under par 63 on the second day of the inaugural Turkish Airlines Open in Belek.
Woods completed seven holes of his delayed first round with a two-under par 70 and then after an hour’s lunch break the 14-time Major winner didn’t drop a shot in posting nine birdies, including three in succession from the second and then his closing two.
It left Woods, who last won in the European Tour in winning the co-sanctioned 2009 Australian Masters, in fifth place on 11-under par but just a shot behind the leading foursome of Sweden’s Henrik Stenson (68), England’s Ian Poulter (66), Frenchman Victor Dubuisson (65) and South African Justin Walters (66).
Shane Lowry and Marcel Siem taking a break during the second round of the Turkish Airlines Open. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
“I played a little better certainly this afternoon and made some putts, so that was fine,” Woods said.
“It was round that could have been really special but I am right there and I am only one back. It’s a bunched leader board so we are going to have to continue to go low over the weekend given the way the golf course is playing and how soft it is as it so receptive and slow and it lends itself to a lot of birdies.
“But then I must have missed about four or five putts inside 10-feet for birdie and if make those it is an even lower round.”
Woods revealed he had been awake since around 3.30am local time watching TV coverage of his beloved Stanford University football side upset Oregon 26 – 20 in the Pac-20 competition.
However as the game continued Woods was also conscious of heading to the nearby Maxx Royal course to begin practice ahead of an 8am restart to the first round that had been delayed by three hours due to a thunderstorm Thursday.
“Unfortunately, I had to stay longer watching the game than I wanted to,” he said.
“Kick off was 3.30am but then that was no problem and it’s normal as my body is still on Singapore time but it was one of those games where it looked we (Stanford) going up 29 -7 but next thing you know Oregon comes back at us and I’m thinking I have to go warm-up for this tournament.
“So I’m saying come on guys can’t you just run the clock out and they finally did.”
Current European Tour No. 1 Stenson stalled with nine straight second round pars before picking up four birdies over his inward nine.
However there has been plenty of banter over the two days between himself and Poulter, who is currently fourth on the Race to Dubai and trailing Euro 542,525 behind his fellow Lake Nona resident.
Poutler has bet Stenson $100 at 10 to one he will finish in front of Stenson at the close next week in Dubai of the European Tour season.
The winner also will have to serve the loser drinks at a restaurant of the winner’s choosing.
“We had the bet practicing one day at Lake Nona when Henrik was being interviewed by Swedish TV and I told him I would chase him down,” said Poulter.
“So he wanted to have a bet on that which he would in Henrik’s position given he is a long way in front.
“But he’s certainly fired-up this week whether we had the side bet or not but I’ve spotted him a few times on the golf course this week and every time he gets a towel out and puts it over his arm pointing at me as if I was a drink’s waiter.
“So given I am now sharing the lead with him I would have to think the odds are looking brighter on my side and hopefully they continue to get better.”
