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AUGUSTA, Ga. -- If Tiger Woods has designs on getting his fifth green jacket, he'll have to do it from well behind.
Woods is 3 over over through 36 holes, thanks to an uneven (to say the least) round of 74 on Friday. It's his third-worst opening 36 holes in 13 appearances at Augusta National. His worst was 75-75 in 1996, when he missed the cut as an amateur. He shot 76-73 in 2003 and finished tied for 15th.
Woods was also 3 over through two rounds in 2000, but rallied to finish fifth.
Woods has never been over par through two rounds in his previous four wins. In fact, his worst through 36 holes when he's won is 4 under, which he was in 2005.
The disturbing part for Woods? It could have been worse. Woods, who started the day at 1 over, flirted with the cut line midway through his round. The top 44 players -- plus anyone within 10 shots of the lead -- qualify to play the weekend.
But in the end, Woods is right in the chase.
"I turned basically a 90 into a 74 today, which was nice," Woods said. "Yesterday, I threw away a good round. Today, I salvaged a bad one.
"I'm right there in the ballgame."
As Woods was hitting Amen Corner, the cut was at 6 over as Brett Wetterich hit the 4-under mark through 15 holes. Wetterich made two bogeys in the final four holes, however, and finished 2 under.
Woods went out in 3-over 39, making four bogeys and a birdie. He had to hit a shot at the ninth hole left-handed.
He got a shot back with a birdie at the 10th and seemed poised to make a back-nine run, just as he did in 1997, when he followed a front-nine 40 with a back-nine 30 en route to his first Masters title.
The momentum stopped, however, with a bogey on the 11th and another as the 12th, when he dumped his tee shot at the par-3 into the water in front of the green. He took a drop well back in the 13th fairway and hit to within 12 feet and made the putt for a bogey. That dropped him to 5 over.
He hit his second shot into Rae's Creek fronting the green at the par-5 13th, but managed to save a par.
Woods made birdie at the 15th and 17th holes to get back to 3 over.
He was in danger of a seventh bogey when he hit his tee shot at the 18th into the pine straw along the right side of the fairway. But Woods cut his second shot to the back of the green and two-putted for a par.
Among those tied with Woods are Champions Tour players Craig Stadler and Ben Crenshaw. Tom Watson is at 4 over.
Through 36 holes, Woods has six birdies and nine bogeys. He's hit just 23 of 36 greens in regulation and 12 of 28 fairways off the tee.
The biggest Masters comeback is Jackie Burke, who came back from eight shots down through 36 holes to win in 1956.
Woods is 3 over over through 36 holes, thanks to an uneven (to say the least) round of 74 on Friday. It's his third-worst opening 36 holes in 13 appearances at Augusta National. His worst was 75-75 in 1996, when he missed the cut as an amateur. He shot 76-73 in 2003 and finished tied for 15th.
Woods was also 3 over through two rounds in 2000, but rallied to finish fifth.
Woods has never been over par through two rounds in his previous four wins. In fact, his worst through 36 holes when he's won is 4 under, which he was in 2005.
The disturbing part for Woods? It could have been worse. Woods, who started the day at 1 over, flirted with the cut line midway through his round. The top 44 players -- plus anyone within 10 shots of the lead -- qualify to play the weekend.
But in the end, Woods is right in the chase.
"I turned basically a 90 into a 74 today, which was nice," Woods said. "Yesterday, I threw away a good round. Today, I salvaged a bad one.
"I'm right there in the ballgame."
As Woods was hitting Amen Corner, the cut was at 6 over as Brett Wetterich hit the 4-under mark through 15 holes. Wetterich made two bogeys in the final four holes, however, and finished 2 under.
Woods went out in 3-over 39, making four bogeys and a birdie. He had to hit a shot at the ninth hole left-handed.
He got a shot back with a birdie at the 10th and seemed poised to make a back-nine run, just as he did in 1997, when he followed a front-nine 40 with a back-nine 30 en route to his first Masters title.
The momentum stopped, however, with a bogey on the 11th and another as the 12th, when he dumped his tee shot at the par-3 into the water in front of the green. He took a drop well back in the 13th fairway and hit to within 12 feet and made the putt for a bogey. That dropped him to 5 over.
He hit his second shot into Rae's Creek fronting the green at the par-5 13th, but managed to save a par.
Woods made birdie at the 15th and 17th holes to get back to 3 over.
He was in danger of a seventh bogey when he hit his tee shot at the 18th into the pine straw along the right side of the fairway. But Woods cut his second shot to the back of the green and two-putted for a par.
Among those tied with Woods are Champions Tour players Craig Stadler and Ben Crenshaw. Tom Watson is at 4 over.
Through 36 holes, Woods has six birdies and nine bogeys. He's hit just 23 of 36 greens in regulation and 12 of 28 fairways off the tee.
The biggest Masters comeback is Jackie Burke, who came back from eight shots down through 36 holes to win in 1956.
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