Defending Champion Tiger Woods, helped by a wonder shot at the 14th hole where he holed a four iron for an eagle two, charged three strokes clear of the field with a course record-equalling seven under par 65 in The 135th Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
Woods leads The Open on its return to Hoylake for the first time in 39 years with a 12 under par total of 132, just two strokes off the 36 hole record score, and his own Major Championship record of 19 under par - set at St Andrews in 2000 - is under serious threat
US Ryder Cup team mate Chris DiMarco enjoyed a return to form, moving into second place on nine under par 135 after firing a matching 65. South Africa’s Retief Goosen leads the European Tour challenge after a six under par 66 lifted him to eight under par and four off the lead with Australia's Adam Scott (69) and Miguel Angel Jiménez of Spain (70) a shot further back on seven under par 137.
The undoubted highlight of Woods's round was an eagle two at the 14th. The World Number One launched a four iron approach shot 201 yards over the corner of the dog-leg and reacted with amazement after the ball had bounced five times before striking the bottom of the flagstick and dropping into the cup.
When he reached the green, he picked the ball out of the hole and lifted it high above his head to the resounding cheers of the crowd.
He followed that with a birdie on the 16th, his sixth of the round, on the way to equalling the course record of 65 set 40 minutes earlier by compatriot DiMarco.
"I made a few bombs and obviously 14 helped a lot," said Woods.
"It's a hole where you're just trying to make four and get out of there and to make two was just a bonus.
"Trust me I was just trying to get the ball on the hole and take my four."
Asked if he will change his measured approach over the weekend, Woods added: "I just play the course for what it gives me.
"The way I play is what the course allows me to. We will see what tomorrow's wind does."
DiMarco, playing four matches ahead of Woods, produced a dynamic start with six birdies in the first 11 holes. He also picked up strokes at the 15th and 18th, with a bogey sandwiched in between at the 17th.
DiMarco, whose mother Norma died earlier this month, has his father supporting him here this week.
Jiménez was four shots ahead of the field at one stage after following birdies on the first and fourth with an eagle on the fifth to move to nine under par. But bogeys at seven, eight and 11 took the shine off his blistering start. Jiménez, however, closed with a birdie to finish on 137 after a 70.
He believes he is in good shape and can make a charge this weekend. "Of course you have to be a little bit disappointed when you get to nine under then let it slip,” he said
"I just lost a little bit of feel out there, that was the problem. But I am quite confident going into the weekend.
"I cannot worry about Tiger, only my own performance. I like this course and my game is good. I am hitting the ball well at the moment."
Scott was pleased with the way things were going and is spurred on by the success of Geoff Ogilvy in last month’s US Open. “Geoff’s success has pushed all the other Aussies along and we all want a piece of that Major success,” Scott said.
“My goal is to get a couple back on Tiger tomorrow and you never know what can happen on Sunday. It’s going to take some great golf to beat him though.”
England's Robert Rock was a shot behind after a second successive 69 which also included an eagle, in his case a three-wood to four feet on the tenth.
The 29 year old, a former teaching professional at Swingers Golf Centre, said: "I didn't see my name on the leaderboard for the first time until the 17th, which was quite a good thing."
Overnight leader McDowell was five under after a 73.
