Despite his impressive round, Woods remains four shots off leader Scott Langley, who carded a masterful 62.
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Among them was England’s Greg Owen, who was out earlier than Langley and Vegas and at one point held the outright lead as he shot 67.
“I lowered my line just a touch, maybe half a ball here and there, and it seemed to pay off”, he said.
Words or no words, Woods has to be happy that he now has more rounds in the 60s (4) than the 80s (3) this year.
“I finished last week on a real positive note, 3-under on Sunday and moved way back up the leaderboard”, Langley said. Two were decided in playoffs and the largest margin was two shots twice.
“It was just a matter of just getting into a little bit of the rhythm and the flow of it, and I found that”.
“In golf, Tiger Woods is four back at the Greenbrier”.
While Woods’ game may not be in top shape at the moment, his will remains strong.
Vegas doesn’t have a top-10 finish this season, but he made five birdies during his bogey-free Friday, including two of his final three holes. Langley was four strokes behind eventual victor Bubba Watson entering weekend play, while Vegas was six shots back.
Inaugural Classic champion Stuart Appleby and 2012 victor Ted Potter Jr. are nursing injuries and didn’t play.
Kevin Chappell (67), who owns a home in Kirkland, was among seven players at 8 under. O’Dell followed a 2-under 68 on Thursday with a 2-over 72. He bogeyed the 13th but hit his wedge shot into 14 to within five feet, setting up yet another birdie.
On the par-5 17th, where he had driven into water to the right in the first two rounds, his drive went 190 yards far to the left of the fairway and he made another bogey.
O’Dell is the sixth player in the history of the State Amateur to earn an exemption.
After Thursday’s first round, Woods himself acknowledged how close he felt to having full control of his swing and commented on how he had bounced back after making bad swings. “You’ve got to understand that you’re going to hit some weird shots. I really couldn’t ask for anything more, to be honest”. Fellow New Zealander Tim Wilkinson had an ever-par 70, but his first-round of 75 meant he also missed the cut.
It could well have been better if not for bogey at 17 and a double bogey six on the par four 6th.
Despite the morning tee time, the weather wasn’t kind to Bradshaw.
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“I’m very thankful just to be in the field this week”, he said.
