Tiger Wood bounces back with 2nd-round 63 at Buick Open

Tiger Woods had the best five-hole start of his career Friday, chipping in for eagle and making four birdies to shoot up the leaderboard at the Buick Open.

Woods finished with a season-low nine-under-par 63 at Grand Blanc Township, Mich., quickly ending any thought that he might miss the cut for the second consecutive event.

Coming off what he said was probably the worst putting day of his career, Woods went on his birdie-birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie tear and finished the day at 10-under 134.

John Senden shot a 66 to take the second-round lead at 14 under, two shots ahead of Michael Letzig (65) and another stroke in front of Vaughn Taylor (68) and Bill Lunde (65).

It was the best round for Woods, in relation to par, since an 11-under 61 at the 2005 Buick Open. He entered the weekend four strokes back in a pack of six, including Kevin Stadler, who shot his second consecutive 67.

Woods teed off early Friday morning, hitting his first drive 342 yards straight into the blinding sun. His jaw-dropping start awed at least one of the players in his group.

“It’s hard to concentrate on your own game when you’re playing with anyone that plays as well as he did. I don’t care who it is,” said Jonathan Byrd, who shot a 71 to make the cut at four under. “Unfortunately, it didn’t help me play any better, but I enjoyed watching him play today.”

At the 544-yard, par-five 13th -- his fourth hole of the day -- Woods’ drive left him on the right side of the fairway behind a huge maple tree.

“I could have just pitched out sideways and left myself probably a seven-iron or eigh-iron in there,” he said. “I got a little bit aggressive.”

It worked out.

He cut a five-iron around perhaps the biggest tree at Warwick Hills, chipped onto the green from 50 feet and made about a 10-foot putt for birdie.

Woods had eagled the 340-yard, par-four 12th, hitting a chip from about 40 yards that bounced on the green and landed in the cup.

John Daly almost hit rock bottom with an 88, his worst score ever in a regular PGA Tour event.

Amateur leads Senior Open

Tennessee amateur Tim Jackson remained the story in the U.S. Senior Open at Carmel, Ind.

The 50-year-old real estate developer shot a five-under 67 at Crooked Stick to take the lead at 11-under 133 -- matching the lowest 36-hole total in event history. He opened with a 66 on Thursday, the best score ever by an amateur in the tournament.

Joey Sindelar was a stroke behind Jackson after a 68. A birdie on No. 6 gave Sindelar a share of the lead, but he dropped a stroke on the next hole and finished the day by pulling a five-foot birdie putt.

Fred Funk (67) was third at nine under. Greg Norman stumbled early in the round but recovered by ending with two birdies to get to eight under, three strokes back.

Tie at Women’s British Open

Catriona Matthew of Scotland had a hole in one in a five-under 67 to share the second-round lead with Giulia Sergas of Italy at the Women’s British Open at Lytham St. Annes, England.

Sergas also shot 67 after making five birdies on the back nine. Both players totaled three-under 141 at Royal Lytham and St. Annes links course.

Matthew is playing her second tournament since giving birth to daughter Sophie in May.

“The birth was slightly easier this time than the first time around,” Matthew said. “It doesn’t take you too long to get back into it.”

Matthew eagled the 11th and followed up with an ace on the 12th. She then made four more birdies against a lone bogey for a course-record back nine of seven-under 30.

First-round leader Sandra Gal of Germany shot an 80.