Woods, 27, birdied three of his first seven holes in the second round of the British Open Friday at Royal St. George's and reached red numbers for the first time in this 132nd championship. But, starting at the ninth hole, Woods played the final 10 holes in 4-over and finished with a 1-over 72.

But through 36 holes Woods still remains well under the cut line at 3- over 145 and is very much in contention to win his second Claret Jug in the last four years.

"If it blows you've just got to be patient and understand that if you make a lot of pars you are going to be all right," he said. "The guys aren't going to go low here, that's for sure."

Woods has made 22 pars and seven birdies through the first two rounds.

Woods was a bit more in control of his game Friday as opposed to Thursday when he opened with a 73. Woods hit three more fairways (six) and one less green in regulation (nine) than the first round. He took the same number of putts (29) and recorded his first three- putt of the Open.

"The problem was that every green was a different speed depending on whether it was exposed," Woods said of putting conditions. "Some of the exposed ones are so fast and dry."

Woods, who lost his ball and suffered a triple bogey on the first hole Thursday, used a 3-wood to begin his second round. A 5-foot putt saved par and got him started.

From the second through the seven holes, Woods birdied the par-4 second and the par-5 fourth and seventh holes.

At the second, he stiffed his approach to within 3 feet. At the fourth, Woods hit his second shot to within 15 feet and missed his eagle attempt by inches and tapped in for birdie. At the seventh, Woods found the rough, left his second shot 20 yards short and then chipped to within 12 feet and made the putt.

For the first time, Woods was at 1-under.

But Woods' time spent in red numbers was short-lived.

Woods needed three shots to reach the 354-yard par-4 ninth, the second shortest at Royal St. George's and two-putted from 10 feet.

At the par-4 12th, Woods' second shot hit the upslope short of the green and he putted from off the green, leaving himself a longish par- saving putt. Woods, though, missed, then missed the short come-backer and tapped in for a double bogey. He has played the hole in 3-over for the Open.

Woods left a birdie attempt from 20 feet at the par-3 16th a foot shy and settled for par, and then at the 17th Woods ran a 20-yard birdie attempt from off the green 8 feet past. Woods missed coming back for par and bogeyed the hole.

"It was a challenge on patience because the course was playing so difficult," Woods said.

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