Woods shows class to overtake McDowell

A month after missing his first cut in 38 majors as a professional, Tiger Woods was back where he belongs in the Open championship at Hoylake.

Consecutive rounds of 76 saw Woods miss the cut in the US Open at Winged Foot last month, his first event after a nine-week lay-off following the death of his father, Earl.

The world number one returned to form with second place in the Western Open a fortnight ago however, and was soon justifying his position as favourite at Royal Liverpool Golf Club this week.

A closing eagle yesterday gave Woods an opening round of 67, one off the pace set by Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, and Woods was still right in contention midway through his second round today.

A three-putt bogey on the third briefly dropped him back to four under, but the 30-year-old hit back with birdies at the next two holes, and then holed from long range on the seventh to be out in 33.

The par-five 10th was the easiest hole on the course in the first round and little had changed today, Woods two-putting for birdie to improve to eight under.

That took him into a share of the lead alongside Chris DiMarco, the man he beat in a play-off for the US Masters title last year.

DiMarco, round in 70 yesterday, had picked up birdies on the first, second, eighth and ninth to reach the turn in 31, and also birdied the 10th and 11th.

The American duo were two shots clear of a four-strong group on six under, including England's Robert Rock who had set the clubhouse target after a second successive 69.

Overnight leader McDowell had failed to reproduce the form which saw him establish a new course record with his opening 66, but remained six under with three to play, while Australian Adam Scott had picked up two shots today and had six holes remaining.

The most exciting golf of the day, not always for the right reasons, was coming from Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez however.

One shot behind McDowell overnight, Jimenez charged into a four-shot lead after five holes with two birdies and an eagle, but then dropped three shots in the next five holes. The 42-year-old from Malaga was nevertheless six under with four holes to play.

Playing alongside Woods, three-time winner Nick Faldo had made a brilliant start with three birdies in the first four holes, but bogeys on the sixth and eighth meant he stood four over with eight to play and seemingly destined to miss the halfway cut.