Jesper Parnevik: Way off the pace

Woods overcame a defecit of 11 shots at the half-way stage to win the Masters earlier this year.

This time he was merely nine shots off the pace after the first two rounds, but Faldo warned the American's fans not to start thinking about a fifth straight Major victory.

"I don't want to say anything smart like I usually do, but no I don't see that happening," he said. "It's not that style of a course."

Faldo refused to be downcast after the dismal opening to his round, which included hitting into a large fairway divot on the fourth hole.

"I actually thought it was a brilliant round after four straight bogeys to start," he said.

"After I found that divot in the middle of the fairway, I thought it was going to be one of those kind of days, but it was actually quite good."

Swede slumps

Faldo was joined on 10-over by another of Europe's leading lights, Jesper Parnevik.

The Swede suffered three bogeys in the back nine and finished with a 74.

"I'm a little bit frustrated with my game because I am just making too many mistakes but that's typical of a US Open set-up," Parnevik said.

"My game feels as good as it has in a long time but I keep making those small mistakes.

"That's what the US Open will do for you, but you have to keep trying."