Tiger Leads After 2nd Round

L O U I S V I L L E, Ky., Aug. 18 -- Jack Nicklaus finished his PGAChampionship career with a birdie. Just as fitting, Tiger Woodsfinished in the lead.

Woods took a break from his domination of the majorchampionships to applaud his idol fighting to the end to try tomake the cut. Nicklaus nearly holed out a sand wedge for eagle onthe 18th, the ball skimming past the edge of the cup.

“Pretty cool,” Woods said.

Ties Scoring Record

Then, he was back to business. With a plugged lie in the bunker,Woods got up and down for birdie to complete another near flawlessround, a 5-under 67 that tied the PGA scoring record for 36 holesand gave him a one-stroke lead over Scott Dunlap.

It was the only time Woods took notice of anything but hispursuit of a third straight major championship. Not that it wouldhave mattered.

“I think he’s a better player than I was,” Nicklaus concededafter two days of playing with the man whose sole purpose in golfis to break his record of 18 major victories.

Woods took another step Friday with a two-day total of 133.Already the youngest player to win the career Grand Slam, the24-year-old Woods is now two rounds away from joining Ben Hogan asthe only players to win three professional majors in one season.

“He’s won more majors than I’ve made cuts in,” said Dunlap,who had a 68 and went 12 holes at rain-softened Valhalla Golf Clubbefore giving up the lead.

That just about sizes up the rest of the players trying to catchWoods.

Love Stumbles

Among the next dozen behind him as the second round was wrappingup, only 1997 PGA champion Davis Love III knows what it’s like towin a major. Love hasn’t won a tournament of any kind in over twoyears, and he didn’t do himself any favors on the last two holes.

With a chance to edge closer to Woods, he bogeyed the last twoholes—the 18th in near darkness—for a 69 to finish at 137.

Fred Funk, a five-time winner but never close in the biggesttournaments, birdied the last two holes for a 68 to join Love andJ.P. Hayes at 137. Hayes, whose only PGA Tour victory came twoyears ago, also shot a 68.