Woods leads in San Diego

SAN DIEGO – Tiger Woods made one last birdie as the rain picked up strength Friday, and he left behind a gloomy forecast for everyone else at Torrey Pines.

He had a two-shot lead at the tournament he has won six times.

He is driving the ball long and straight, just what he needs to handle the par 5s – he has played them in 9 under par so far.

And when it comes to experience, he has a 74-0 advantage in PGA Tour wins against the next seven guys on the leaderboard.

Woods knows better than to chalk up another win in the Farmers Insurance Open, so when asked about his name atop the leaderboard after a 7-under 65 on the North Course, he was quick to point out, "We have a long way to go."

Even so, this had all the trappings of another Tiger show at Torrey Pines.

Woods didn't miss a shot during a four-hole stretch around the turn on the North Course that included a 5-iron to five feet for an eagle and a wedge that one-hopped off the pin to set up a birdie. It carried him to a two-shot lead over Billy Horschel entering the weekend.

Asked whether he played better when everything was going well in his life, Woods waited out the long question with a short answer.

"I feel good right now," said Woods, who was at 11-under 133. "I'm leading the tournament."

Horschel, who had to go back to qualifying school to get his card last year, had a 69 on the South Course to get into the final group.

"It's a good day, and I'm excited about (today) – I get to play with Tiger," Horschel said. "I found out when I tapped in for par. I realized he was leading and I was in second place. So, yeah, looking forward to that."

For Woods, it was his first outright lead entering the weekend against a full field since the Australian Open in 2011 (he finished third at the Lakes), and his first time atop the leaderboard at Torrey Pines since 2008. Then again, he has played this event only once since then and was just starting to change his swing.

And while this looks ominous for everyone else, Woods with a 36-hole lead – even at Torrey Pines – doesn't mean this is over. He is 34-10 with at least a share of the 36-hole lead, though he has failed to win four of the last six times from that spot.

European Tour in Doha, Qatar – Chris Wood shot an 8-under 64 for a three-stroke lead over Michael Campbell and two others after the third round of the Qatar Masters.

Wood started the day two shots behind Ryder Cup stars Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer but moved up the leaderboard with five birdies on the front nine en route to a 15-under 201.

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