Tiger Woods domination continues

The major championships are done for the year. Tiger Woods is not.

In a performance even more dominant than his record-setting victories in the majors, Woods tied the course record today with a 61 in the NEC Invitational, and his 125 set a PGA Tour record for the lowest score for the first 36 holes.

The previous record for the opening 36 holes was 126, and had been achieved six times, the last being by David Frost (63-63) at the 1999 FedEx St. Jude Classic. Woods's 125 also matched the PGA Tour record for the lowest 36-hole score for consecutive rounds. Four others have shot 125, including John Cook, who did it twice and was the last to do it, in the fourth and fifth rounds of the 1997 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

Woods pumped his fist and smiled when his 6-foot par putt on the 18th at Firestone Country Club dropped in the hole, as if he were aware his 9-under 61 tied the course record set by Jose Maria Olazabal in 1990.

Only that wasn't the case.

"I didn't want to finish with a bogey for the second day in a row,'' he said. "I'm just trying to hit good, solid shots. I just want to get the 'W.' "

That shouldn't be too difficult. Woods had a seven-stroke lead over Phil Mickelson, the largest 36-hole margin of his career and the largest on the PGA Tour since Olazabal led by nine strokes at Firestone in what was then the World Series of Golf.

"He's been playing so well, it's not like we're in shock," said Jim Furyk, who played with Woods today -- or at least walked in the same fairway as Woods.

Mickelson finished one stroke behind Woods in the NEC Invitational last year. And while Woods appears invincible this week, Mickelson wasn't about to declare the tournament over.

"A little disappointing you would even bring that up,'' said Mickelson, who had a 66. "One of my thought processes was, 'Listen, if I can make some birdies, I can get in the final group.' I think there's some real benefits to that.''

Justin Leonard had a 67 and was at 133, while Furyk had a 69 and was another stroke back.

The 37-man field is for Presidents Cup and U.S. Ryder Cup team members, plus the top 12 Europeans from the European tour money list. But once again, it's looking like Woods in one tournament, and everyone else in the B-flight.

Proof of that came on No. 16, a 625-yard hole known as "The Monster.'' In the first round, Woods nailed his drive but decided against going for the green from 285 yards away. He also noticed that a little more to the right, and his drive would catch a slope.

So today, he aimed a little more right, caught the slope and wound up only 269 yards from the pin.

"Go for it,'' screamed the gallery, perhaps aware that only three players have ever reached the green in two during competition -- Arnold Palmer, Raymond Floyd and John Daly.

Make it four.

Woods caught his 2-iron as pure as can be, slapped hands with caddie Steve Williams and watched as the ball landed 8 feet directly behind the flag, then bounced twice into thick ground behind the green.

"I only had 256 to carry, which I know I can hit that if I hit it solid,'' Woods said. "The hard part was a slight downhill lie, which meant that I really had to stay committed to the shot, and possibly even release it a little early to get some more loft on it. I hit it flush.''

His chip grazed the lip of the cup for a tap-in birdie.

That epitomized the entire round. Mickelson had the lead early on with a birdie-eagle start, but that didn't last long. Woods hit an 8-iron from a 176 yards into the par-5 second hole and made the 12-footer for eagle, then birdied three straight starting on No. 4 to leave everyone else in his wake.

"Phenomenal,'' said Colin Montgomerie. "I can only see that gap widening.''

That was the case at Firestone, and also in golf. Woods has had at least a share of the lead in his last six rounds, and 16 of his last 25 dating to the second round of the Memorial. It also was his 29th consecutive round at par or better, the longest streak since the PGA Tour began keeping such statistics in 1980.

When will it end?

"I really don't feel it is a streak,'' Woods said. "I feel like I'm just playing well. I think if I work hard and have a lot of patience and manage my game well, I can play this game at a high level for a long period of time.''

Since the next major isn't until The Masters in April, perhaps the next feat in front of Woods is a 59 -- or lower. For the second day in a row, he gave himself a chance, and the gallery was egging him on.

"Fifty-nine!'' they shouted as he walked down the 13th fairway, 8-under par through his first 12 holes and needing three birdies on his final six holes to reach the magic number. Woods said he never heard them, and a 59 never crossed his mind.

"What people?'' he asked innocently. "I had no clue how many under par I was. At the time, I think I had a five- or six-shot lead. I just tried to increase that.''

With a 10-foot birdie on the 17th, Woods had a chance to break the course record. But his drive on the 18th took one last roll into thick rough, and his approach landed over the flag and ran through the green.

A 61 was the best he could manage.

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