THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) -- Those streaks of good play from Tiger Woods keep getting a little longer.In one of his most complete rounds of the year, Woods missed only two greens and putted for eagle four times Thursday on his way to a 7-under 65 for a one-shot lead over U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy in the Chevron World Challenge.
Woods made it all the way until the 18th hole before an old flaw crept into his new swing. He popped up his tee shot, forcing him to pitch out from behind a tree and two-putt from 50 feet to escape with bogey. Even so, he matched his best score of the year, and was atop the leaderboard for only the second time in his troublesome season.
About the only club that didn't cooperate was his new putter, although that's nothing new. If anything has held Woods back from at least having a few chances at contending, it's not making many putts.
Great iron play made up for that at Sherwood Country Club.
"It's not too often you can say I shot 65 and only made one putt, but that's kind of what I did today," Woods said. "I only made one putt and it was on 9. The rest were either two-putts or kick-ins. It was a good ball-striking day."
The putt on the par-4 ninth was from about 15 feet with significant break. Equally impressive were some of his shots into the par 5s, particularly the 3-iron into No. 2. Woods hit it so clean that he twirled the club, a sure sign of a good shot.
He hasn't done much twirling this year.
"I have not," Woods said. "Usually, it's point which way the ball is going to go -- incoming somewhere."
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