ORLANDO, Fla., March 15 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods found his putting stroke Friday and turned in a 7-under 65 that allowed him to build a four-shot lead over Scott McCarron at the Bay Hill Invitational.
Woods is trying to win the tournament for the third straight year.
He made three birdie putts of at least 15 feet, taking adantage of redesigned greens that are rewarding good putters. He also two-putted for birdie on a pair of par-5s.
"Now I get on greens where I can hit the ball on the line at the right speed and they are not rolling all over the place," said Woods, the top-ranked player in the world who is winless since August.
Woods had a 36-hole total of 12-under-par 132, 15 shots better than the cut line of 3-over 147. He said he felt he is finally getting his game together, having finished second to South African Ernie Els two weeks ago at the Genuity Championship.
"New home, adopted home?" Woods said. "I just feel comfortable here in Florida. That's where I live now and I play on these grasses. I've played well in the wind here and I just feel comfortable here."
McCarron shot a 67 to jump from 11th to second in a marquee field that features seven of the top eight players in the world.
"It doesn't matter whether it's Tiger or Ernie Els or whatever," said McCarron, who let a title slip away at the Match Play Championship in his last start. "Four shots is four shots. But there's still 36 holes of golf left, a lot of golf."
McCarron is coming off consecutive runner-up finishes, but no one is hotter than Els, whose world ranking has risen to third after three straight medal-play victories. He is tied for third with Angel Cabrera at 137.
"I'm on a nice stretch," said Els, who carded a 67. "So might as well stretch it out."
Tied for the lead after the first round, John Daly and John Huston shot 71s and fell to fifth at 138. Sergio Garcia of Spain headed a group of 10 players at 139.
