Woods cruising as Monty struggles
Colin Montgomerie was battling to hold on to the lead in the American Express Championship as Tiger Woods made an explosive move up the leaderboard.
Montgomerie, fresh from victory in the Dunhill Links championship on Sunday, had a three-shot overnight cushion after a stunning opening 64, six under par, at Harding Park.
But that lead was wiped out within 10 holes of the second round today in damp, misty conditions in San Francisco, and Woods was lurking ominously just one shot off the pace.
Montgomerie had been back to his accurate best in the first round, missing just four fairways and finding 16 of the 18 greens in regulation.
But he was unable to maintain that form in the second round and, after going to the turn in 34, with one birdie and eight pars, a poor drive on the 10th cost him his first bogey of the week.
From the heavy rough left of the fairway he was only able to advance his second shot some 85 yards, and from there hacked his third into a greenside bunker from which he took three to get down.
After 27 holes without a bogey it looked as though Montgomerie would make it two in three holes when he duffed his chip to the par four 12th from just off the green.
But the former European number one rolled in a 12ft putt to save par and remain tied for the lead with Ryder Cup team-mate David Howell.
Howell, one of 11 players to share second overnight after dropping a shot on his final hole, had picked up birdies at the first, seventh and eighth as he continued his impressive form in America.
Sixth in the NEC Invitational in only his second event after a two-month injury lay-off, Howell then won his first European tour title in six years the following week in Germany.
Woods had made a stuttering start with two birdies and two bogeys in his first five holes, but then produced a stunning eagle on the par four seventh.
The world number one had watched as John Daly, in the group behind, drove the green yesterday and insisted he could not hit the ball far enough to do the same.
But with the tee brought forward a few yards today Woods was able to smash his tee shot to within 10ft of the flag for an eagle two to improve to five under par.
Meanwhile New Zealand’s Michael Campbell, £85,000 ahead of Montgomerie in the Order of Merit, struggled to an opening 71 on Thursday but three early birdies lifted the US Open champion to two under par.
Australian Steve Elkington, one of the players Campbell beat en route to winning the World Match Play title at Wentworth last month, withdrew before the second round with a back injury. Elkington carded a three over 73 in the first round.
