ORLANDO, Florida, 21 March 2004 — Tiger Woods’ challenge for five straight wins at the Bay Hill Invitational suffered a serious setback when the world number one shot a second round two-over-par 74 on Friday.
It was his worst round of the year and left him on three-under-par 141, nine shots behind leader Shigeki Maruyama of Japan.
Woods is attempting to become the first player on a major professional tour to win the same event in five consecutive years, but found himself in trouble early on.
Playing the 11th hole, his second, Woods hit his tee shot out of bounds right and eventually recorded a double-bogey six. He fared little better over the next 16 holes, making two bogeys and two birdies.
Despite being nine off the pace, Woods is not in unfamiliar territory. He won the 1999 Buick Invitational when he was that far behind Ted Tryba, eventually triumphing by two shots over Billy Ray Brown.
A year earlier, Woods was 11 shots back of Ernie Els at the J W Classic in Thailand through 36 holes and eight back through 54 holes and won in a playoff over the South African on the European Tour.
Sorenstam Storms Into Lead at Halfway Stage
In Superstition, Arizona, Annika Sorenstam stormed to the top of the leaderboard Friday at the Safeway International, carding a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 that she hopes leaves room for improvement over the weekend.
It was the second round on the LPGA Tour this year for Sorenstam, the Swedish superstar who skipped the US season-opening event last week in Tucson.
Sorenstam reached 12-under 132 after 36 holes. American Christie Kerr was a stroke back, with South Korean star Se Ri Pak alone in third, three shots off the pace.
Michelle Wie was a distant 13th at 5-under 139, but the 14-year-old from Hawaii showed fans why she has attracted so much hype by carding a 67. She totaled eight birdies and three bogeys. Kerr had what she called “a ridiculously good day,” firing a bogey-free 63. Of her nine birdies, none were longer than 12 feet. She said she played perfectly.
First-round leader Kim Saiki was the only player in the top 15 who did not break par, posting a 73 that dropped her into a tie for seventh at 137.
Lane, Hanrahan Set Pace in Singapore With 67s
Britain’s Barry Lane, chasing his first European title in 10 years, fired a flawless five-under-par 67 to share the Singapore Masters third round lead with American Greg Hanrahan yesterday.
Hanrahan celebrated his 46th birthday with a matching 67 to finish at 13-under 203, level with Lane, whose last success came at the 1994 Turespana Open de Baleares.
Singapore’s Mardan Mamat, the overnight leader, ran up a double bogey at the penultimate hole for a 70, slipping back into third place at 11-under 205.
Seven-time European No. 1 Colin Montgomerie, who carded a blemish-free 67, was a further two shots back in a tie for fourth with Britain’s Jonathon Lomas (65), Frenchman Thomas Levet (65) and James Kingston of South Africa (70).
