Report: Rose claims halfway lead

The three-times champion, who was four over when his first round was halted on Thursday, is now level-par and just six strokes behind leader Justin Rose.

Woods was not the only star name to bounce back after a poor start, as Davis Love III tied the week's best round of 67 to get to two-under.

American lefthander Steve Flesch also carded 67 and is a shot behind Love.

Other Americans to move themselves into a position to challenge at the weekend were Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples.

I just hung in there and gave myself a chance Tiger Woods

Mickelson, the best current player without a major title, shot a three-under 69 to join KJ Choi in a tie for fifth, three shots off the lead. Couples is in the group on two under par after carding his own 69.

But most attention was focused on Woods as the world number one attempted to recover from his poor start on Thursday.

Woods pulled one shot back as he finally finished his first round at three-under early on Friday morning.

He then hit five birdies, a 40-foot putt on 16 being the highlight, and two bogeys to haul himself back to par.

Woods said: "I'm really excited. I knew I had to get myself back into it and make some birdies and I played really well.

"I made some good golf shots and gave myself some good looks. It was playing very difficult. I just hung in there and gave myself a chance.

I didn't take advantage of my good driving and made some soft bogeys Ernie Els

"I knew if I could make it to even par I'd be in good shape. I got my momentum back and made some shots."

Ernie Els carded a mixed level-par 72 to finish four shots off the pace on two-under.

The South African started the day on two-under but by the seventh he had slipped down to level-par. Els then got himself to three-under before dropping another shot to end the day where he began.

He said: "I was a bit angry because I kept getting into good positions but I didn't take advantage of my good driving and made some soft bogeys."