USPGA 2012 blog: Friday

Tiger Woods can putt again (OK, just ignore that three-putt at the 18^th).

It's

a simple enough statement but it's the reason he's sitting on top of

the pile going into the weekend.

He's joint leader at four under par

with Carl Pettersson and old adversary Vijay Singh. Woods drained five

single putts in a row in his first five holes

in a total of just 26 that included 11 one-putts.

His 48 putts through

two rounds leads the field.

What

else is working? His wedge has been wobbly all year. Yesterday he only

hit nine greens in regulation (and only 10 fairways) but he got up and

down

eight times out of nine. The air-punch is back.

The finger point made a

welcome return, too, as his 45-foot birdie putt at the 4^th

disappeared below ground. You know and his rivals now that Woods

starting to think during the back nine yesterday that he could win the

Wanamaker Trophy.

Need an omen? His ball did a BMX 360 twirl around the

hole before dropping in - not once but twice.

Only

10 players are under par as the Ocean Course, not the alligators or

mosquitos, bit back. A gusting 30mph hooley caused havoc.

"If

you

had a golf course like this and asked me to go and play golf in windy

conditions, I'd say no," said Singh. "But it is a major and we have to

go out there and just struggle the best you can."

The average score in

the first round was just worse than one over

par at 73.33. By the end of Twister Friday, it was a six over 78.

Carnage.

Pub

quiz knowledge: Doug Wade, a 33-year-old club pro from Ohio shot a 21

over par 93, the championship's worst total since the 94 by Tom Dolby in

2002 and Gary Campbell

in 1977. Wade's 36-hole total was 32 over par.