CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Tiger Woods says his game is starting to come around, and not many doubted him Friday in the Wachovia Championship.
Woods made every putt inside 20 feet and one from nearly 50 feet. It led to his best round since February, 6-under 66 at sun-baked Quail Hollow that gave him a two-shot lead going into the weekend.
"More than anything, I gave myself some looks at the putts and I made them - just about every one of them," Woods said. "It's a nice combination."
Woods was at 9-under 135, two ahead of Kirk Triplett (73), Notah Begay (70) and Arron Oberholser (68).
Vijay Singh, who is challenging Woods for No. 1 in the world, missed a half-dozen putts inside 18 feet on his back nine and shot 70, leaving him in the group three shots behind and setting up the prospects for a major showdown on Sunday.
Singh is hitting the ball so well that having Woods three ahead of him and Masters champion Phil Mickelson (70) two behind him was of little concern.
"We've got the weekend ahead of us," Singh said. "I'm playing well. I think I'm going to be there Sunday."
There was a long list of players ready to join him. Stuart Appleby (72), Brett Quigley (72) and Joey Sindelar (69) joined Singh at 6-under 138. Davis Love birdied four of his last five holes for 66, matching Woods for the best round of the day, and was at 5-under 139 with former Masters champion Mike Weir (72), Kevin Sutherland (68) and Chris DiMarco (70).
Triplett, leader by two after the first round, stayed with Woods until hitting into thick rough and missing a 3-foot bogey putt on 16.
Mickelson has been in contention every Sunday he has played this year, a trend that looks as if it will continue. He didn't get much out of his game, but he didn't hurt himself and was only five back.
"It seems like every time I missed a shot, I made a bogey," Mickelson said. "I thought it was a round I could go low, so 2 under is a little disappointing."
CHAMPIONS: Ray Floyd shot 5-under 67 and was tied for the lead with Sam Torrance after the first round of the FedEx Kinko's Classic in Austin, Texas.
Tom Watson, last year's runnerup, missed a 14-foot birdie putt at No. 18 and was tied for third with Allen Doyle, Mark McNulty and Vicente Fernandez at 68.
Tom Kite was one of six tied for seventh at 69.
The 61-year-old Floyd is seeking his first victory since 2000. He recorded two top-10 finishes last year after coming back from prostate surgery in December 2002.
"I like to compete," Floyd said. "I like to be inside the ropes and in the locker room with these guys and I feel like I'm healthy again and free from my back problems."
LPGA: Kim Williams has been around long enough to know that a sparkling second round in a golf tournament guarantees little.
"I am just happy I made the cut," she said.
But Williams sparkled more than anyone has in the two years of the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill Golf Club in Williamsburg, Va., shooting an event record 8-under 63 for a four-shot lead.
Williams posted one of the few bogey-free rounds of the first two days, with six birdies and an eagle.
Annika Sorenstam, who was eight back, chipped in from thick rough 45 feet from the hole.
Soo-Yun Kang, the leader by one Thursday, shot 70-135 and was four back.
U.S. WOMEN'S OPEN: Two-time champion Betsy King and Dottie Pepper were given special exemptions for the event, which is July 1-4 at the Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, Mass. The USGA accepted a record 1,097 entries, beating the mark of 980 in 2001.
EUROPEAN PGA: Argentina's Eduardo Romero was penalized two strokes at the end of his round, giving Sweden's Patrik Sjoland a one-shot lead halfway through the event in Meriden, England. Sjoland shot 7-under-par 65 and was at 10-under 134 after two bogey-free rounds, with Romero one behind after being dropped to 68. Brian Davis of England (67) also was at 135. Romero birdied the last two holes and appeared to be one ahead until he was penalized for a violation on the 14th green. It was ruled his ball moved on the green as he was about to tap in. He was penalized one stroke for causing it to move, then another because he did not replace the ball on its spot before hitting his next putt. He said the penalty was justified.
STATE AMATEUR: Mary Ann Plunkett of Lecanto defeated Reggie Parker 3 and 2 to claim the FWSGA title at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto. In the first flight, Cathy Schaefer defeated Mary Ann Petrillo of St. Petersburg 1-up. The second flight featured Laurie Watts of Tampa defeating Jennifer Polich of Clearwater 1-up. In the fifth flight Mary Critchfield of Clearwater beat Susan Ishii in 19 holes.
RYDER CUP: Jesper Parnevik ruled himself out of playing for Europe, saying he was not willing to play at least 11 events on the European PGA Tour as a requirement to make the team.
