SECOND-ROUND LEADERBOARD: (US unless stated)
-14 J Senden (Aus) -12 M Letzig -11 V Taylor, B Lunde -10 K Stadler, T Woods, R Thatcher, YE Yang (Kor), G Chalmers, J Walker Selected others: -7 G Owen (Eng) -6 J Furyk -4 D Duval

Tiger Woods was out for eight months after knee surgery

Tiger Woods pulled back into contention at the Buick Open in Michigan with a second round nine-under 63.

Woods was eight shots off the lead after an opening-round 71 but is now just four shots behind second-round leader John Senden, who fired a 66.

The world number one was facing the threat of missing two consecutive cuts for the first time as a professional.

He said: "I was so far back I was just trying to make sure I put a dent into that. At least I'm back in it."

Woods was back in action for the first time since the Open where he failed to make the cut in a major championship for only the second time as a professional.

606: DEBATE Tiger looks like he's on major form tigerwoodswannabe

Arriving at Warwick Hills on Friday morning, Woods languished in joint 95th place, three shots behind the projected cut of four-under and eight behind overnight leader Lowery.

But the 33-year-old responded in style, rocketing up the leaderboard after going six-under on his opening five holes on the way to his lowest round of the season.

Michael Letzig seized the second-round clubhouse lead after returning a seven-under 65, which was eventually eclipsed by Australian Senden, who carded six birdies in his second round to take him to 14 under.

American duo Vaughn Taylor and Bill Lunde shot 68 and 65 respectively to end the day 11 under and a tie for third.

All eyes were on Woods, though, who is four shots back on a midway total of 10-under 134.

"I can't get it all back in one round, I positioned myself so far back yesterday it wasn't going to happen," Woods said.

"But if I birdied the holes you're supposed to birdie and a couple of others here and there you're going to come up with a round in the mid-60s and I thought that would get me in touch with the leaders."

Playing the back nine first, Woods took advantage of ideal conditions, opening with back-to-back birdies then chipping in for eagle on the par-four 12th.

Woods then dropped rapid fire birdies at 13 and 14 before his first par of the day on the 15th which was followed by another birdie at 16.

But Woods had not completely worked the kinks out of a wonky putter that he blamed for his disappointing first round. Cruising along at seven-under through seven, he missed a three-footer for birdie on 17 then three-putted the 18th for his only bogey of the round.

After a birdie at the 1st, Woods's charge stalled with five consecutive pars but finished with another flurry, nailing back-to-back birdies at the 7th and 8th.

"I was a little bit hot after yesterday," he said. "It was nice to birdie the first couple. This golf course is playing soft and easy, you should birdie every hole but you can also make a few mistakes like I did yesterday."

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