Tiger looks ready to pounce

NO Championship in the 131 years history of the Open has provided a greater chance of an Irish victory with Padraig Harrington, one of the co- leaders; Des Smyth, one behind, and Darren Clarke three off the pace going into the weekend.

But with the field again heavily bunched after another day of relative calm 26 players at the top of the leaderboard are covered by a mere three shots just about any one of 50 or even more players could come through the pack over the closing 36 holes, with Tiger Woods ominously poised to pounce just two behind the pacesetters.

He battled his way through yesterday's round in 68 for a four under par total of 138 and even if his A game was absent, the runaway world number one looks very dangerous. Although he attempted to put a positive spin on the way he played, the 2 to 1 favourite leaked a few shots dangerously into Muirfield's savage rough and could have suffered more dire retribution. More often than not though, he saved himself with some outstanding recovery play and later still, at the long 17th, he sank a curling 20-footer for a birdie four from off the green without ever having seen the fairway.