BELEK, Turkey — Tiger Woods showed precisely why he is the world's No. 1 golfer Friday, producing a swashbuckling tournament-best 63 to burst into title contention after the second round of the inaugural Turkish Airlines Open. The 14-time major winner's buccaneering nine-under-par effort left him one stroke behind leading quartet, European money-list leader Henrik Stenson (68), Frenchman Victor Dubuisson (65), Justin Walters of South Africa (66) and Britain's Ian Poulter (66). Tiger's tail seemed to have been tweaked by a late blunder on the final hole of his rain-delayed opening round earlier in the day. The American dunked his second shot into the water at the 18th and marched off the green with a disappointing bogey six. Woods only had enough time for a quick snack before he was back out on the first tee for the second round and he looked like a man on a mission as he charged to the turn in 30 strokes with five birdies. The 37-year-old kept his foot firmly down on the gas on the back nine, four more birdies delighting the crowd on the Mediterranean coast of Antalya. “It was a round that could have been really special,” Woods told reporters after finishing on 11-under 133 on a sun-kissed day at the penultimate event of the European season. “I made some putts but I also probably missed four putts inside 10 feet. We are going to have to continue to go low here the way the course is set up and with how soft it's playing. It's so receptive that it lends itself to a lot of birdies.” Scott jumps ahead Adam Scott took advantage of easier morning conditions Friday to shoot a 4-under-par 67 at Royal Pines and take a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Australian PGA Championship. Scott was at 10-under 132, while fellow Australian David McKenzie was in second after a 69. American Rickie Fowler, who began the day with a two-stroke lead, holed out with his approach on the first hole for an eagle, but things got progressively more difficult for him in swirling afternoon winds. He finished with a 72, tied for third with two others and three strokes behind Scott. It is Scott's first tournament back in Australia since his win at Augusta. He'll play the next three weeks in home tournaments: the Australian Masters and the World Cup of Golf, both at Royal Melbourne, and the Australian Open at Royal Sydney. Scott, starting on the back nine, eagled the par-5 12th to move into a share of the lead with McKenzie. A birdie at the par-4 fourth put him into the lead for good during the round. Oyama stuns big guns Japan's Shiho Oyama upstaged the US LPGA Tour regulars by firing a 4-under 68 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the $1.2 million Mizuno Classic Friday. Oyama, a 12-time winner on the Japan LPGA Tour but winless since 2011, overcame a sore neck to card six birdies and two bogeys on the par-72 Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club course in Shima, central Japan. Defending champion Stacy Lewis of the United States, the highest-ranked player in the tournament at No. 3, could only manage two birdies against one bogey and was three shots back in a large group tied for 20th place. The tournament, which offers a top prize of $180,000, is the final event on the US LPGA Tour's Asian swing. It is co-sanctioned by the US and Japan tours. Two-time former champion Shin Ji-Yai was among five South Koreans in a nine-way tie for second place, along with American Brittany Lincicome and Sweden's Pernilla Lindberg. Also at 3-under 69 were South Korea's Lee Na Ri, who has won twice over the past two months on the Japan LPGA Tour, Choi Chella, Han Hee-Won and Jang Eun-Bi. — Agencies
