BETHESDA, Maryland, (Reuters) – Tiger Woods played the role of inhospitable host by soaring to the top of the leaderboard after the second round of the AT&T National yesterday.
The world number one, who is hosting the $6 million event at Congressional Country Club, fired a four-under-par 66 to finish on 10-under 130, one stroke ahead of Australian Rod Pampling (64).
“I didn’t drive the ball as well as I did yesterday or hit my irons as crisp,” said Woods, who returned a 64 in Thursday’s opening round. “Either I hit it pretty close to the hole, within 10 feet, or I was missing greens,” he told reporters. “It was nice to actually get a score out of it. I didn’t shoot myself in the foot.” First-round leader and holder Anthony Kim followed his course-record 62 on Thursday with a topsy-turvy 70 to slide back into third place, two strokes off the pace.
“I hated the way I hit the ball today,” the American said after carding three birdies and three bogeys.
“It was OK for about six or seven holes but the swing got loose and I couldn’t find it out there.”
DOUBLE WINNER
The 39-year-old Pampling, a double winner on the PGA Tour who finished third here a year ago, charged into contention with seven birdies and a lone bogey under partly cloudy skies and unseasonably cool weather in suburban Washington.
“The greens were really nice out there so, once you got a line on your putt, they were pretty much guaranteed going in as long as you hit it there,” said Pampling.
