• Honda Classic, Round Two

Late burst saves Woods' blushes

Tiger Woods produced another patchy display © PA Photos

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Tiger Woods turned in another mixed display at the Honda Classic on Friday, though a late rally saw him finish his second round seven shots off the lead as he returned to the clubhouse.

Woods started the day one-over par after a horror show on the greens during Thursday's play in Florida. His performance 24 hours later was improved in parts, but he still only managed a two-under 68 to lift himself to an overall score of one-under-par.

While the former world No. 1 completed the formalities of signing his card, the American found himself seven strokes adrift of compatriot Tom Gillis and Justin Rose, the joint leaders.

Woods' round started well enough on the back nine, registering a birdie at 13 after hitting his pitch to within a foot. Then, after dropping a shot at 14, the American found some form with his putter at the 16th when he sunk a 25-footer.

However, the steely consistency that marked the majority of Woods' career is simply not there at present, and an eight-footer stayed out at 18 to deny him a further birdie - hitting the turn on one-under for the day.

He picked up a shot at the fourth, but a double-bogey five at the par-three fifth saw his round hit the buffers. A late rally - back-to-back birdies on his final two holes - gave him hope, albeit slim, of challenging the frontrunners, but at this stage he will be happy to have simply survived the cut.

World No. 3 Lee Westwood, who cannot usurp Luke Donald at the top of the standings even if he wins at Palm Beach this week, was far more consistent than his playing partner but a succession of pars prevented him from shooting really low on day two.

A birdie finally arrived six holes into his round, though any hope of the floodgates opening quickly faded as a bogey at the par-three 17th brought him back to level-par. A solitary birdie on the front nine gave him a sub-70 score, but a one-under 69 leaves him alongside Woods, some way off the pace.

Rose matched his first-round 66, with exactly the same score on Friday. Starting at the 10th, he got off to a flyer, picking up four shots before the turn. Two more birdies followed as he continued his charge, but consecutive bogeys stalled his progress and stopped him from taking the outright lead.

Gillis fired six birdies en route to his six-under 64, and more of the same over the weekend will make it hard for the chasing pack to overhaul the American.

Among those in contention is Rory McIlroy, who posted a 67. He had to stay patient in the early stages but was rewarded for his persistence with a flurry of late birdies. The world No. 2 will replace Donald at the top of the rankings if he wins the tournament and the Ulsterman will fancy his chances lying one shot behind the co-leaders on seven-under.

The US Open champion could only pick up one shot on his first nine holes and, when he bogeyed the 13th, it looked like it would be a day of frustration. However, three birdies before the close showed what can happen when McIlroy gets on a roll, and he will aim to start the third round as he finished the second.

The big mover on day two was Brian Harman, who hit a course-record 61 to fly up the leaderboard. The rookie reached the turn in 29 with four birdies and an eagle, following up with four more birdies coming in. An eagle at the 18th was needed for a 59, but a par saw him settle for a nine-under round, leaving him in a tie for fourth on six-under.

At the halfway point in the tournament, Graeme McDowell is a contender, the 2010 US Open champion turning in a vastly improved display after a nightmare 73. A 64 puts the Northern Irishman on three-under for the week.

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