Woods, Harrington within striking distance

Arnold Palmer Invitational update: Tiger Woods and playing partner Pádraig Harrington kept close tabs on current leader Sean O'Hair on the second day of the €4.3million Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida.

The pair started at the 10th and Woods immediately got into his stride after rolling in a 20-foot birdie putt on his opening hole.

Although he picked up another shot at the 12th, he gave that back with a bogey at the 16th to reach the turn in one-under 34.

The 33-year-old also bogeyed the par-four first, his 10th, before collecting his third birdie of the round at the eighth where he chipped in from just off the green to sign for a second round 69.

At three-under par the world number one and five-time winner of the event was four off the pace set by O’Hair.

"I played decent today," said Woods after his round. "I didn't hit the ball as well as I'd like but I kind of grinded my way along and had two chip-ins which was nice.

"Overall today was a grind-it-out day. The golf course is getting fast and the greens are really getting fast."

Woods, playing only his third event of the year after being sidelined by a knee injury for eight months, was frustrated with his ball flight.

"My shapes are fine but I'd like to be able to control my trajectory a little bit better especially when the wind is blowing like this," said the 14-times major winner.

Although Harrington outscored Woods with a second round 68, the British Open and US PGA champion signed off on a sour note after three-putting the ninth, his final hole, for a bogey.

"It's always good to shoot two under around here but I am disappointed, three-putting the last and missing three short birdie putts in the last six holes," said the 37-year-old.

"Things like that happen at times but I'm still happy with the score."

Harrington had steered a steady course over his opening nine holes with a solitary birdie at the 15th and eight pars to reach the turn in 34. Further birdies came at the first before adding his third of the day at the par three seventh.

But for the three-putt at the last he would have been tied with Woods but remains very much in contention at two-under.

It was also a welcome return to form considering the world number five had missed two cuts on the PGA Tour this season and lost in the first round of the Accenture World Matchplay.

Graeme McDowell's birdie at the 18th for a one-under 69 meant the 29-year-old was back to level par for the tournament heading into the weekend.

After an opening bogey at the second the Portrush pro picked up back-to-back birdies at the fifth and six. His only other dropped shot came at the 16th.

O’Hair currently leads on seven-under after reaching the turn in four-under. That left the American two ahead of overnight leader Jason Gore, who remained static on five-under with his round of 70 that contained four birdies and as many bogeys.

The projected cut was five-over which left double US Open champion Retief Goosen (71) in a precarious spot right on the mark.

Davis Love III’s 74 left the American seven-over, while Jim Furyk’s 70 wasn’t enough to repair the damage of an opening 78 and he too will miss the cut.