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Woods Builds 4-Shot Lead At Buick

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The Associated Press

Published: January 26, 2008

SAN DIEGO - Tiger Woods made short work of the easier North course Friday at Torrey Pines, leaving everyone else long odds of catching him at the Buick Invitational.

Woods chipped in for par, escaped from a couple of trees and wound up with a 7-under 65 to match his best start ever at Torrey Pines, building a four-shot lead against alternate Kevin Streelman as he tries to win this event for the fourth straight year.

The hard part might be reminding himself the tournament ends Sunday.

"If they handed out the trophy today, then it would be over and no big deal," said Woods, who was at 12-under 132. "But since we have so many more holes to play ... as you've seen on tour, anything can happen."

In this case, "anyone" might be more appropriate.

Streelman, a 29-year-old rookie who made it through all three stages of Q-school, was third alternate Thursday morning and was not expecting to play until someone tapped him on the shoulder to say he had four minutes to get to the tee when Matthew Goggin withdrew.

Moments earlier, Streelman had his head down hitting a few putts when he looked up and saw Woods for the first time.

"Boom! He was right there in front of me," Streelman said. "I was kind of awestruck for a second and I said, 'Wow, I guess I am on the PGA Tour.' It was pretty cool."

But he still hasn't met him.

"I was too scared to do that," Streelman said, smiling.

Two days of solid play means introductions will be in order this morning on the first tee. Streelman followed his opening 67 with a 69 on the tougher South Course, which will host the U.S. Open this summer, and will be in the final group with Woods.

The world's No. 1 player said he had never heard of Streelman, and when told that he was No. 1,354 in the world ranking, Woods replied, "I think he might be going up."

Joining them will be Stewart Cink, who shot a 69 on the South and was another shot back at 7-under 137.
Troy Matteson got turned in the wrong direction. After a 65 on the South Course that he said he couldn't top, he was 10 shots worse on the North Course, shooting a 75 to fall eight shots behind.

For the second time in three weeks, nearly 20 guys left town with last-place money and no tee time.

The cut of top 70 and ties amounted to 85 players, and because that number exceeded 78, only 66 players advanced to the weekend. Among the casualties were Kenny Perry, Chris DiMarco and Jay Williamson, who was one of six players who signed a petition at the Sony Open to get rid of the new cut policy.

CHAMPIONS: Gil Morgan had two eagles in a four-hole stretch on his way to a 7-under 65 and the first-round lead in the Turtle Bay Championship in Kahuku, Hawaii.

Morris Hatalsky capped the round with consecutive birdies and was two strokes behind Morgan in the Champions' first full-field event of the year.

The youngsters at 68 included John Cook, who is seeking his second victory in his fourth start on the 50-and-over circuit. He was joined by fellow rookies Fulton Allem, Bernhard Langer and Phil Blackmar.

Tom Kite, Donnie Hammond and Jim Thorpe also were at 68.

The 61-year-old Morgan, who struggled at last week's MasterCard Championship, quickly moved up the leaderboard during the middle holes. Starting on No. 8, Morgan went birdie-eagle-par-birdie-eagle to reach 8 under.

"It was pretty fast and furious for a while," he said.

Both eagles came on par 5s. He chipped in from 35 feet near the front of the green for the first eagle and sank a 35-foot putt on the other.

It was Morgan's hottest run since he carded an eagle and double eagle in the first seven holes of the 2001 Instinet Classic.

Morgan got up-and-down to save par on No. 14. He first looked at the leaderboard on 16 and noticed he had built a nice cushion. He lost a stroke when he three-putted the par-4 17th from 30 feet.

He's coming off a 37th-place tie in the 41-player field at Hualalai. He was just a stroke out of last place and one of five players who failed to break par in the winners-only event.

PGA EUROPEAN: Johan Edfors of Sweden had four birdies in his last five holes and finished with a 6-under 66 to take a two-stroke lead with a 135 after the second round of the Qatar Masters in Doha, Qatar. Overnight co-leader Lee Westwood of England (70) and Charl Schwartzel of South Africa (67) were tied for second.

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