TIGER Woods is on course for an incredible 17th individual World Golf Championship title in 34 attempts after claiming a share of the halfway lead at the HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
Woods carded a second consecutive five-under-par 67 to join overnight leader Nick Watney (70) on ten under par, with world No2 Phil Mickelson returning a 66 to lie a shot behind alongside compatriot Ryan Moore and Spain's Alvaro Quiros. Woods made
his move on the back nine yesterday, the world No1 birdieing the 11th and 13th, before he chipped in for another birdie on the 16th and rounded off an inward nine of 32 with a birdie on the par-five 18th.
"I got off to a good start and birdied the very first hole but, after that, I didn't really make any putts," Woods said. "I certainly had some looks at them and didn't really capitalise on anything but made a putt at nine and from then on I hit a lot of good putts and played the last ten holes in five under.
"It was a little bit frustrating not holing the putts, but the guys weren't really running off and hiding and I knew that if I could play the back nine in three under that would be a pretty good number and I was able to do one better than that."
Quiros was the only European player inside the top ten after adding a 66 to his opening 69. "I'm hitting the ball okay, nothing great but nothing bad either," he said. "I've been very lucky because the shots I missed were very playable and I made a good recovery. I didn't see my name on the leaderboard for a long time, it was all Americans. It was strange but it's very exciting for me. All of the players on the leaderboard are great players, we will have to see what happens."
Since posting a thrilling win in Qatar at the start of the year which pushed the 26-year-old into the world's top 30, Quiros has struggled to recapture that form, with only a second place at May's European Open to show for his efforts.
He has now slipped outside of the top 50 after missing the cut in Singapore last week, but a continued strong showing would soon change that and improve his 20th place in the Race to Dubai with just two events remaining after this week. "I don't think the Americans are too strong, it's just a question of luck or whatever you want to call it," added Quiros. "I think we are playing well, most of the Europeans are in a very good position."
Anthony Kim lies sixth at eight under with Pat Perez a further shot back and Brian Gay at six under with India's Jyoti Randhawa – the only other non-American inside the top eight.
Paul Casey, still battling the rib injury which sidelined him for three months, Volvo World Match Play Championship winner Ross Fisher and Martin Kaymer, who is still struggling with a foot injury, sit at four under. Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Singapore Open champion Ian Poulter are a further shot off the pace.
