LEMONT, Illinois, 6 July 2003 — World No. 1 Tiger Woods produced a lack-lustre display but still held on to his one-shot lead after the second round of the 100th Western Open on Friday.

Woods carded a two-under-par 70 to finish 11-under on 133, one ahead of David Toms (69). Cliff Kresge (68) and Scott Verplank (65) were tied for third on 135 while Australia’s Robert Allenby (67) was fifth on 136.

Canada’s Mike Weir, the US Masters champion, was a further stroke adrift along with US Open winner Jim Furyk, Robert Damron, Heath Slocum and Jason Gore.

Woods was three-under for his round after making birdies on three of the first five holes at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club’s Dubsdread course. He then bogeyed the seventh before bouncing back with a birdie at the ninth.

But the 27-year-old American was one-over for the back nine after a run of eight pars and one bogey.

Woods, who had a 63 on Thursday, said he had no idea why his game was seven shots worse in the second round.

“Some days golf can be, as we all know, one of the easiest games we’ve ever played, and then the very next day it’s, like, ‘is this the same person?’,” he said.

“That’s the challenge of it all. I certainly didn’t feel as good over the shots today like I did yesterday. A couple of times the wind crept in and gave me a little indecision and consequently I made a poor swing, and that’s the hard thing about golf.

“You’ve got to go out there and hit good quality shots, and I didn’t do that today.”

Mckay Four Shots Clear

Despite Triple-Bogey

In Portland, Oregon, scotland’s Mhairi McKay survived a final-hole nightmare to lead the $3.1 million US Women’s Open by four shots after the second round at Pumpkin Ridge on Friday.

The 28-year-old, aiming to become the first Scot to win a women’s major, added a one-under-par 70 to her opening 66 to finish six-under on 136.

McKay led by four strokes from Americans Hilary Lunke, Angela Stanford and 43-year-old defending champion Juli Inkster. But it would have been so much better for the leader without a triple-bogey seven at her last hole, the 427-yard ninth.

She found a plugged lie in a bunker from the tee, mis-hit two chip shots later in the hole and only managed a seven thanks to a 10-foot putt.

After a spectacular run of five birdies in seven holes from the 17th (her eighth), the finale left a sour taste, but McKay was determined to concentrate on the positives.

Inkster carded a 71 and was delighted to still be in the hunt. “I didn’t have my best game out there but it’s so tough,” she said.

“It’s also mentally draining. Physically, I feel fine but you get so tired having to play 36 holes of cautious golf.

Stanford, 25, is bidding for back-to-back victories, having scored her first win in last week’s LPGA Classic in Atlantic City.

Lunke, 24, has never had a top-10 finish in two years on the LPGA Tour, so she was as surprised as anyone to be joint second after a 69. World number one Annika Sorenstam repeated her opening-day 72 to finish on 144. Alone in fifth place on 141 was Donna Andrews (72) of the US