Relentless Woods out on his own

Tiger Woods, described by Padraig Harrington as “relentless“, left the rest trailing in his wake with another sublime performance in the American Express World Championship at The Grove near Watford.

Having set a course record for the new venue with his opening eight-under-par 63, the world number one and defending champion became an even hotter favourite for the £683,778 (€1m) first prize by adding a 64.

Chasing what would be – there is already a temptation to say “will be” – a sixth successive strokeplay victory, Woods goes into the weekend on the 15-under-par mark of 127, only two outside the European tour record he already shares.

He is five clear of Ryder Cup team-mates Stewart Cink and Jim Furyk and also England’s David Howell.

“I played better today (Friday) without a doubt,” said Woods. “I hit the ball more clean, more crisp and controlled my flight better.”

One other sort of flight he cannot wait for, though, is the one home on Sunday night. He has played seven of the last nine weeks and, thinking of the two-week break he has coming up, added: “It’s always nice when there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

“The baseball play-offs start on Tuesday and I’m looking forward to that.”

For the second day running Woods eagled the 567-yard 18th, the perfect answer to Furyk and Harrington having the effrontery to overtake him.

Furyk had covered the back nine in 31 and had added a sixth birdie at the first, while Harrington, in the first group to tee off, had followed up his 64 with three more birdies.

But Woods, with just one birdie in his first eight holes, hit a 249-yard second shot to 10 feet, rolled in the putt and was simply unstoppable after that.

He was on in two again and two-putted the long second before a 35-foot putt on the fourth began a run of three successive birdies.

The last player to beat Woods in strokeplay was Trevor Immelman at the Western Open in Illinois way back on July 9.

Since finishing second there the 30-year-old has lifted the Open championship, Buick Open, US PGA, Bridgestone Invitational and Deutsche Bank Championship at a combined 86 under par.

The last two weeks, of course, he has not been so impressive, losing in the first round of the World Match Play at Wentworth and failing to prevent another crushing American defeat in the Ryder Cup.

But he has clicked straight back into strokeplay gear on a course which Cink has already suggested they change the name to “Tiger Woods”.

As they might the whole World Golf Championship series. He is seeking his 10th win in 15 strokeplay starts since their introduction in 1999, with a worst finish of ninth.

Only three of his last 25 rounds have not been in the 60s.

Cink, who lost a play-off to Woods last month, also eagled the 18th in his 67, while Furyk shot 65 and Howell, on course to regain top spot on the European Order of Merit from the struggling Paul Casey, a 66.

Darren Clarke, described by playing partner Woods as being “sick as a dog” with a heavy cold and sore throat, managed only a 71 to fall 12 adrift.

Harrington slipped back to fifth with a closing bogey for a 69, saying: “You would think after winning a few he (Woods) wouldn’t be as motivated, but that doesn’t seem to happen to Tiger.

“I suppose it’s in his own hands.”

And they are safest pair of hands in golf.