Woods and Westwood stuck in Classic pack

Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood remained deep in the pack midway through their second rounds at the Honda Classic in Florida today.

Resuming on level par, six behind overnight leader Davis Love, Westwood birdied the short 15th from five feet, but then bogeyed the 190-yard 17th for the second day running.

Woods, who started with a one over 71, had two back-nine birdies, hitting his pitch to a foot on the 13th and making a 25-foot putt three holes later, but he failed to recover from driving into the rough at the 14th and missing an eight-foot chance on the 18th – just as Westwood did – meant he also turned at level par.

They were in a tie for 45th place, while late starter Love was joined at the top by rookie professional Harris English, a member of the American Walker Cup side beaten in Aberdeen by Great Britain and Ireland last September.

Padraig Harrington, three over par early in his first round before battling back for a 70, continued his forward march with further birdies at the 11th, 13th and 15th.

The Dubliner was in a tie for 11th place at that point, but like Westwood he failed to get up and down from a bunker on the 17th.

Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, part of the group in second place with their opening 66s, were also not teeing off again until the afternoon, but Graeme McDowell covered the front nine in 32 to improve from three over to level par.

Open champion Darren Clarke remained three over after eight holes, however, and probably needed to pick up two shots to survive the halfway cut tonight.