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In the hunt: Tiger Woods four back after difficult second round at Honda Classic

By Kiley Bense
February 23, 2018

You might have expected the breezy conditions ​and penal layout at PGA National to undo a still-rusty Tiger Woods in the second round of the Honda Classic. But for the most part Woods’s game remained buttoned-up on his way to a one-over 71 that has him just four shots behind leaders Luke List and Jamie Lovemark.  

Woods looked shaky early on a day when only 13 players would break par. He made a bogey at the 3rd but then carded two birdies at the 4th and 9th holes to make the turn at one-under for the day — launching him to the first page of the leader board.

At the watery par-4 11th, an errant drive forced Woods to lay up his approach but he knocked a wedge to 10 feet and then holed the putt, which he punctuated with a vintage fist pump.  

More errant shots on 13 and 14 forced Tiger to make two clutch up and downs for par, but a water ball off the tee on No. 15 — his first in 13 career rounds at PGA National — led to a double bogey and a quick slide down the ‘board.

A three-putt on the 16th resulted in another dropped shot, but a perfectly played 5-iron on the 17th left Tiger with a 12-footer for birdie, which he drained. He closed with a par on 18.

“I feel like I’m right there,” Woods said. “I’m right where I can win a golf tournament. You know, four back on this golf course with 36 holes to go, anybody can win this golf tournament right now. It’s wide open.”

Miss the action? Scroll down to watch some of the highlights of Tiger’s round. 

Tiger’s first birdie of Round 2, at No. 4:

He birdied No. 9 to get to one-under, eliciting huge cheers from the gallery.

Woods saved par at No. 11 and treated the crowd to a signature Tiger fist pump:

Woods hit a masterful 5-iron on 17, then drained his 12-footer for birdie: