AssociatedPress
SANDWICH, England -- Tiger Woods isn't lost anymore.
The world's best player stormed into contention for another major title at the British Open, setting his sights on leader Davis Love III and erasing memories of that lost ball.
Love was the only player under par by late afternoon, standing at 1 under through 36 holes after shooting a 1-over 72. Among those one stroke behind: Woods and Thomas Levet, the runner-up last year at Muirfield.
As the skies over Royal St. George's brightened and the wind off Sandwich Bay subsided, the field began to sort itself out.
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On Thursday, Woods knocked his very first shot into the rough -- and never found the ball. He had to tee off again and wound up taking a triple-bogey 7, putting himself in a deep hole before he barely had time to say fish and chips.
But he bounced back for a 2-over 73 and played the first nine holes today at 2 under.
Love managed to hold the lead despite struggling on the back nine.
Levet was turning in another impressive performance at the British Open, where he lost to Ernie Els in a five-hole playoff last year. A three-putt bogey at 13 was damaging, but he was still holding at even par.
Most eyes were on Woods, who doesn't hold a major championship for the first time since 1999. He began the day five strokes behind Hennie Otto, an obscure South African who had to play a 36-hole tournament earlier in the week just to qualify.
Otto bogeyed the first hole, finished with a 76 and was passed by some more familiar names.
Els went from 78 -- his worst round ever at the British -- to 68, at least giving himself a chance to defend his title this weekend.
See tournament scores on Page 3C.
