August 12, 2007	Sunday	Rajab 27, 1428

TULSA (Oklahoma), Aug 11: Tiger Woods tied a major championship record with a spectacular 63 in charging to a two-stroke lead over fellow American Scott Verplank in the second round of the US PGA Championship on Friday.

Woods came agonisingly close to setting the all-time low round in a major as his putt for birdie at the 18th hole spun out of the cup leaving him to tap in for par.

The remarkable round lifted Woods to six-under-par 134, two strokes better than Verplank, who shot a bogey-free round of 66.

Australian Geoff Ogilvy (68) and Canadian Stephen Ames (69) were tied at 137.

The 31-year-old American became the 21st player to shoot a 63 in one of the four major championships and the 10th to do so in a PGA Championship.

Greg Norman and Vijay Singh have both twice shot 63s in majors, and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark was the last to achieve it, posting the score in the third round of the 2005 PGA at Baltusrol.

World No 1 Woods, who stood six strokes off the pace after posting a one-over-par 71 in the opening round, scorched the Southern Hills layout late on another sweltering day with eight birdies against a lone bogey.

Seventy-two players made the cut, which was set at five over par.

Among those missing the cut by one stroke were former PGA champions Vijay Singh and Davis Love and former US Open winner Jim Furyk.

Leading second-round scores:

134 – Tiger Woods (US) 71, 63.

136 – Scott Verplank (US) 70, 66.

137 – Stephen Ames (Canada) 68, 69; Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 69, 68.

138 – Woody Austin (US) 68, 70.

139 – John Senden (Australia) 69, 70; Niclas Fasth (Sweden) 71, 68, Pat Perez (US) 70, 69.

140 – Adam Scott (Australia) 72, 68; Paul McGinley (Ireland) 74, 66; Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 69, 71; Arron Oberholser (US) 68, 72; Ernie Els (South Africa) 72, 68; John Daly (US) 67, 73.

141 – Stuart Appleby (Australia) 73, 68; Troy Matteson (US) 72, 69; Graeme Storm (Britain) 65, 76; Retief Goosen (South Africa) 70, 71;

142 – Will MacKenzie (US) 72, 70; Phil Mickelson (US0 73, 69; Paul Casey (Britain) 72, 70; Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 69, 73; Anders Hansen (Denmark) 71, 71; Heath Slocum (US) 72, 70; Sean O'Hair (US) 70, 72; Stewart Cink (US) 72, 70; K.J. Choi (South Korea) 71, 71; Corey Pavin (US) 74, 68; Kevin Sutherland (US) 73, 69.

143 – Nathan Green (Australia) 75, 68; Brett Quigley 76, 67; Justin Rose (Britain) 70, 73; Mike Small (US) 73, 70; Ryan Benzel (US) 71, 72; Darren Clarke (Britain), Tim Herron (US) 75, 68; Luke Donald (Britain) 72, 71; Bob Tway (US) 71, 72; Lee Westwood (Britain) 69, 74; Shingo Katayama (Japan) 76, 67; Peter Hanson (Sweden) 72, 71.

144 – Ian Poulter (Britain) 71, 73, Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 73, 71; Simon Dyson (Britain) 73, 71; Joe Durant (US) 71, 73; Bart Bryant (US) 74, 70; Kenny Perry (US) 72, 72; Tom Lehman (US) 73, 71; Rod Pampling (Australia) 70, 74; Nick O'Hern (Australia) 72, 72; Hunter Mahan (US) 71, 73; Shaun Micheel (US) 73, 71; Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 73, 71; Ken Duke 73, 71.

145 – David Toms (US) 71, 74; Lucas Glover (US) 70, 75; Richard Green (Australia) 72, 73; Brandt Snedeker (US) 74, 71; Todd Hamilton (US) 73, 72; Brian Bateman (US) 71, 74; Steve Flesch (US) 72, 73; Anthony Kim (US) 73, 72; Boo Weekley (US) 76, 69; Sergio Garcia (Spain) 70, 75; Colin Montgomerie (Britain) 72, 73; Chad Campbell (US) 77, 68; Steve Stricker (US) 77, 68; Brett Wetterich (US) 74, 71; Charles Howell III (US) 75, 70; Trevor Immelman (South Africa) 75, 70; Billy Mayfair (US) 76, 69; Frank Lickliter II (US) 70, 75.—Reuters