Dominant Woods goes clear by five

Adjust font size:

WATFORD, England -- Tiger Woods shot his lowest opening 36-hole total for six years and continued to dominate the WGC American Express Championship, by going five strokes ahead.

His 15-under 127 at The Grove is his best score for the first two days of a tournament since he opened 64-61 at Firestone in the NEC Invitational, which he won by 11 strokes.

His Ryder Cup team mates Jim Furyk and Stewart Cink were on 132, along with Europe's David Howell.

The world number one and title-holder again swooped at the 18th hole for an eagle to enhance his lead.

In the first round he ran in a 20-footer for eagle to ensure his overnight advantage. In the second round, playing it as his ninth, he holed from half that distance to shrug off his rivals.

For a second day Woods showed considerable prowess on the greens, holing from 36 feet on the short fourth and running in a series of 10-15-footers as he aimed for a fifth win in the tournament since it began in 1999.

Even at his last hole, after a rare wayward drive, he rolled to within two feet of the cup to avoid dropping a second shot in the tournament in two days.

"To make that little three on 18 got things going," Woods told reporters, saying he had played even better than in his first round.

"I hit the ball more clean, more crisp, controlled my flight better."

Asked how he seemed to be able to win world golf championships at will, Woods, who has been victorious in 11 individual WGCs, said: "It's basically very similar to major championships.

"You've got great fields. Granted, they're not full fields, but it's always nice to play the best players in the world."

Unfortunate

With most of the WGCs for the immediate future taking place in the United States, Woods regretted the monopoly, saying: "It is unfortunate. This is a global game and it's one of the reasons why we've played all over the world."

Howell, who overcame Woods to win last year's Champions' tournament in China, prevented American dominance at the top of the leaderboard with a seven-birdie 66.

Furyk was a shot better, to come through the field, while Cink carded a 67.

Irishman Padraig Harrington lost his chance of a share of second place by bogeying the last for a 69.

Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.

---

• Sister: 'It's not ever going to be the same'
• Wrestler 'Umaga' Eddie Fatu dies at 36
• Two questioned over Russia nightclub blast
• 'New Moon' taping could land woman in prison
• Knox found guilty of murder

• Irish PM to quit over payments scandal
• NATO chief: Afghan troop increase likely
• Militants hunted as calm retuns to Basra
• Pressure on Bush to skip Olympics
• BA sending misplaced T5 baggage to Milan

• Recruiting suicide bombers (2:50)
• London was lucky (2:36)
• Cars in London rigged as bombs (3:48)
• Second explosives-packed car foun (2:32)
• Soviet culture returns (3:47)