ESPN Golf Online news services
Friday, November 10

SOTOGRANDE, Spain -- Nick Price still has his lead in the American Express Championship after a second-round 72 on Friday, but the footsteps behind him belong to a quietly charging Tiger Woods.

On a chilly, windy day in the mountain foothills above Gibraltar, Price couldn't match the 11 birdies and 63 of his opening round and remained at 9-under 135.

	Tiger Woods had three birdies and no bogeys on Friday -- despite another water ball on No. 17.

"It was a totally different golf course today," said Price. "It's like walking a tightrope. You feel that if you fall off, it's going to take you a long time to get back on again. It's a strange golf course in that respect. You almost get claustrophobic on it."

Woods, trying to become the first player in 50 years to win 10 times on the PGA Tour and the first to break $10 million in season winnings, putted better than he did in Thursday's round of 71. He had three birdies and had a bogey-free round of 69 to reach 4-under 140.

Price bogeyed two of the last four holes but said he was satisfied by returning an even-par score.

"It was so difficult to read the wind direction," he said. "It's as if the fairways shrink to half their normal size on a day like this. I did not make too many mistakes, and it's what I wanted to do. It would have been easy to shoot 5-over."

Woods again dropped his approach at the 536-yard 17th into the pond guarding the green. Woods flung his club to the ground in fury Friday after falling prey again to the controversial hole. His tantrum came after his second shot caught the bank in front of the green and trickled back into the water.

It was the third time in a row that Woods had been sunk by the hole. At least Woods managed to scramble for par Friday. On Thursday, he had found the water in identical fashion and dropped a shot. Last year, his ball has spun back into the water during the final round, leading to a triple-bogey.

To make matters worse, a Woods' putt in the 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama also ended up in the water.

Woods, who had composed himself by the end of his round Friday, was guarded about his feelings.

"It is what it is," he said. "A par-5 with danger and risk-reward. I hit a 9-iron from 165 yards, but the wind batted it down. It wasn't a bad shot. Will I get my revenge on the hole? Who knows?"

Woods remained upbeat about his chances.

"I'm still very pleased. I ground my way around this golf course. Consequently, I was able to shoot a nice number and get myself back in the this tournament."

Hidemichi Tanaka shot the day's best round, a 6-under 66, for 137 and second place. Padraig Harrington was at 138 after a 72.

Americans held the next five spots. At 139 were Mark Calcavecchia (67) and Duffy Waldorf (69), with Woods, Bob May (69) and Chris Perry (72) at 140.

The biggest smile of the day belonged to Tanaka after a round which included five birdies and an eagle.

"Incredible," he said. "This is my first big tournament. What does it mean to play in the same field as Tiger Woods? I want his autograph."

Calcavecchia would have matched Tanaka's 66 but for a bogey at the 18th.

Without a win this season, Calcavecchia said it was perhaps his finest round of the year but refused to talk up his chances of victory.

"Tiger's playing," he said.

The biggest frowns were worn by Scott Hoch, Mathias Gronberg and Mike Weir.

Hoch got to 7-under before unraveling with six bogeys in the last 10 holes, including a shot into the water at the 17th, to end 1-under.

Gronberg went out in 30 to get to 4-under and then came back in 40 as the wind got up to finish at even-par 144.

Weir was at 4-under when his 4-iron came up inches short and rolled back into the water at No. 17. After a drop, his chip skirted just past the flag and trickled just long enough to roll to the edge of the green, then over the back into the water again.

He took triple-bogey.

"That's Valderrama," Weir said. "You're one inch between being 5-under and 1-under."

Price scrambled for a par on the same hole, one drawing stares and words from the players.

"It's great entertainment for the fans," Price said. "But it's not very fair for us players."

Colin Montgomerie, who must win the $1 million first prize to have a shot at claiming his eighth straight European money title, got back into the mix with a 67, putting him at 142.

Montgomerie had an 18-foot birdie putt at the first hole, chipped in from 100 yards at No. 2 for an eagle, them got his second hole-in-one in a week, sinking a 4-iron at the 197-yard 12th.

Last week in the Volvo Masters, he aced the 14th at Montecastillo in Jerez, Spain.

"It landed six inches short and hopped in -- exactly the same as last week. Amazing," he said.

In the battle for the European money title, Darren Clarke leads by $86,000 over Lee Westwood. Montgomerie trails Clarke by $784,000. Both Clarke and Westwood are at even-par 144.

Despite stumbling in, Price managed to see the big picture.

"This is a difficult course to have a lead," he said. "Today was the kind of day where I couldn't gain a whole lot, but I could lose an awful lot."