After fighting wind,Woods in lead

Singh,a three-time major champion who hasn8217;t won in nearly four years,scratched out five birdies in a remarkable round of 3-under 69. Only three other players managed to break par in the second round 8212; Michael Hoey of Northern Ireland at 70,and Woods,Phil Mickelson and Ian Poulter at 71.

It8217;s the second time this year that Woods has had a share of the lead in a major going into the weekend. He missed one chance at Olympic Club in the U.S. Open,when he stumbled to a 75-73 to tie for 21st. He was in the penultimate group at the British Open until a triple bogey on the sixth hole of the final round took him out of the mix.

Ive been in this position many times over my career, he said. Again,we8217;re just at the halfway point. We have a long way to go.

Woods,playing on the opposite side of the course,showed early on that he figured out something with his putter. Along with birdie putts of 15 feet and 40 feet on the opening two holes,there was a collection of big par saves from 20 feet on the third hole,a pair of 8-foot par putts a few holes later. There were even two short par putts that swirled 360 degrees around the cup and dropped.

The only disappointment was the way it ended. After hooking a tee shot that rattled around the tents and allowed him a shot into the 18th,he ran his birdie putt about 6 feet by the hole and three-putted for bogey. It cost him his first outright lead in a major in three years,but this was not a day to complain.

It was fun,but it also was tough, Woods said. You were getting blown all over the place. It was just a very difficult day.