LOUISVILLE, Ky. As if one were needed, here's another depressingthought for the rest of the field in the 82nd PGA Championship: TigerWoods hasn't been at the top of his game yet this week.
"You're not going to have it every day," said Woods, who's halfwayto defending his PGA title after a 5-under-par 67 on Friday atValhalla Golf Club. "I didn't really have it yesterday or today. Youjust have to play your shots and leave yourself opportunities to makepar or birdie."
If Woods didn't have it the first two rounds, those chasing himreally have had it. As it is, only Scott Dunlap-winless on the PGATour-is breathing down Woods' neck, one stroke back.
At least Woods isn't lapping the field this time as he tries towin his third consecutive major championship, fourth in 12 months andfifth of his professional career.
But he certainly is in good position to accept the baton from hisplaying partner of the last two days-and the man whose record 18 promajors Woods is chasing-Jack Nicklaus.
"It has been handed over long before this," said Nicklaus, whonearly holed out a wedge shot on the 18th hole that would haveallowed him to make the cut.
"I kept saying, `I can't understand why no one else is playingthat well.' I'm more understanding now why they aren't. He is thatmuch better."
Woods actually is slipping in comparison with his last two majorvictories. He led the U.S. Open by six shots at the midway point andwent on to win by 15, and he led the British Open by three beforewinning by eight.
"I'm getting old," he said, "going downhill."
Woods proved last year at Medinah, in a thrilling final-round duelwith Sergio Garcia, that he can stand toe-to-toe as well as hedelivers the early knockout punch. But he would prefer the latterroute.
"Any time you have a chance to have a great lead, you are going totake it," he said. "But I like my chances."
So does everyone else, including Dunlap, who said Woods "has wonmore majors than I have made cuts."
Actually, Dunlap leads 5-4 in that contest, but his point is justas valid. Besides Woods, the only player on the leaderboard with amajor title on his resume is Davis Love III, the 1997 PGA winner whowas two behind before bogeying the last two holes as darkness wasfalling.
"I am not happy with the way I scored," said Love, who's tied forthird with Fred Funk and J.P. Hayes at 7 under par. "I hit bad driveson 17 and 18, and it cost me."
Woods may not be totally happy with his play, either, but he's notsurprised he's in front.
"If you are 11 under par after two days of a major, you should beleading," he said. "If not, hats off to that person."
If Woods was shaky, it didn't show for the first 16 holes. He madefour birdies on the front side to get to 10 under, and moments afterDunlap tied him with a birdie on 18, Woods hit an 8-iron to two feeton 15 and tapped in to retake the lead.
After 29 consecutive holes without a bogey, going back to No. 5 inthe first round, Woods had his first hiccup of the day on 17. Hereached the green on the par-4 in two and putted from 30 feet tothree but missed the short par putt.
"I didn't say encouraging words to myself walking off the green,"he said. "I guess the word would be `perturbed,' to the 10th power."
It looked like luck had left Woods' side when he tried to reachthe par-5 18th with his second shot and his ball plugged in the frontbunker.
"Going to 18, I wasn't too happy," he said. "And then to see myball buried like that, after the best 3-wood I have hit in two days,I said, `This is great.' "
But as Nicklaus noted Thursday, Woods doesn't stay mad for long.He aimed for the pin and hit to 15 feet. He pumped his fist-more of abody shot, as opposed to his trademark uppercut-as the birdie puttfell.
"When you are playing a major championship, you really have tokeep control of your emotions."
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