Tiger tightens grip on Open lead
Runaway leader Tiger Woods fired an ominous warning to the rest of the British Open field at St Andrews after a second-round 67 put him well ahead at the halfway stage.
The 29-year-old already had a one-stroke advantage when he began this afternoon and five birdies took him to 11 under.
Afterwards he admitted he had not played that aggressively and stressed that patience had been his watchword as he compiled his bogey-free round.
“My best quality today was patience. I hit a couple of bad shots today but I just kind of hung around, stayed patient and made key putts for par and kept the momentum going,” said Woods.
He won on the Old Course with a record under-par total of 19 under in 2000 and is at exactly the same score as he was exactly five years ago.
“I didn’t drop any shots today and it is nice to go out in the lead and not drop a shot,” he said.
Woods’ swing changes have drawn criticism during his barren spell before he won the Masters in April and he again defended the way he had chosen to make the necessary adjustments.
“There are probably 15 to 18 things in my game we (he and coach Hank Haney) have changed. It is a lot of work and needed a lot of patience,” he added.
“I was questioned a lot during that process but I hung in there, I knew what I was doing to get better, I knew I was doing it to get better but it was slow process unfortunately.
“Now I am able to compete and challenge in major championships and be consistent and that is where I want to be.”
Woods also paid tribute to the “greatest” after 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus bowed out of competitive golf.
“You have to admire everything he has done, He has been the greatest champion that has ever lived in our sport,” he said.
“No-one has played the major championships as well as him. No-one has ever been as consistent for as long a period of time. He is the greatest that has ever lived.
“To have actually got a chance to play with him in competition one time (in the USPGA in 2000) for me was a thrill.
“Jack is the greatest. I have had a chance to talk to him a number of times and pick his brain and it is truly an honour to be around him.”
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