Tiger in the hunt

Paul Newberry

Friday, July 18, 2003 | 10:54 a.m.

SANDWICH, England -- Tiger Woods isn't lost anymore.

The world's best player stormed into contention today for another major title at the British Open, setting his sights on leader Davis Love III and erasing memories of that lost ball.

Love was the only player under par by late afternoon, standing at 1 under through 36 holes after shooting a 1-over 72. Among those one stroke behind: Woods and Thomas Levet, the runner-up last year at Muirfield.

As the skies over Royal St. George's brightened and the wind off Sandwich Bay subsided, the field began to sort itself out.

Woods contending in a major? That's no surprise.

But it was amazing how quickly he returned to contention after an awful start.

On Thursday, Woods knocked his very first shot into the rough -- and never found the ball. He had to tee off again and wound up taking a triple-bogey 7, putting himself in a deep hole before he barely had time to say fish and chips.

But he bounced back for a 2-over 73 and played the first nine holes today at 2 under.

At No. 2, he stuck a wedge within 4 feet of the flag and sank the birdie putt. He reached the green in two at the fourth, a short par 5, and two-putted for another birdie. An 8-footer at the seventh pushed him into the red numbers for the first time, though he gave back a stroke with an errant wedge at the ninth.

Love, who has never seriously contended in his favorite major, managed to hold the lead despite struggling on the back nine. He had three bogeys, though two of them were the kind that help win tournaments like this.

He made a nice up-and-down from a deep pot bunker at No. 10, then sank a testy 12-footer after needing two shots to escape another of those devilish traps. There also was the 15-footer to save par at the 15th.

Levet was turning in another impressive performance at the British Open, where he lost to Ernie Els in a five-hole playoff last year. A three-putt bogey at 13 was damaging, but he was still holding at even par.

Most eyes were on Woods, who doesn't hold a major championship for the first time since 1999. He began the day five strokes behind Hennie Otto, an obscure South African who had to play a 36-hole tournament earlier in the week just to qualify.

Otto, a part-timer on the European tour, didn't do well with the lead. He bogeyed the first hole, finished with a 76 and was passed by some more familiar names.

Love was coming off a 69 in the first round, making him one of just five players to break par. Greg Norman also shot 69, but he wasn't able to turn in another surprising performance.

Norman, 48, playing just his third tournament of the year on the same course where he won the 1993 British Open, was 5 over through 13 holes and sinking from contention.

The biggest charge was being made by England's Mark Roe, who was 6 under through seven holes and joined the group at even-par. John Rollins also was even through seven.

Otto, a part-time player on the European tour, began to fade with a double bogey at No. 9. He drove into the rough, came up well short of the green with his second shot, then flew a wedge over the green.

What about that other South African?

Els went from 78 -- his worst round ever at the British -- to 68, at least giving himself a chance to defend his title this weekend.

"I have a smile on my face," Els said after getting a hug from his 4-year-old daughter, Samantha. "I worked very hard. I played very well in stages. I've got to get the putter a little warmer, but I'm not complaining."

Els has a penchant for regrouping. At the Masters in April, he opened with a 79, shot 66 the next day and wound up finishing sixth.

"I've got to play well, and hope for the best," he said.

Taking advantage of the calmer morning conditions, Els left himself with makable birdie putts on the first seven holes. Only two of them dropped in the cup, costing him a chance to go even lower.

At No. 7, especially, Els was kicking himself. A booming tee shot left him a short iron to the green, but he chunked the ball into the front bunker. Clearly disgusted, he stood in the middle of the fairway with a hand on his hip.

Forced to settle for par, Els threw the putter underhanded to his caddie, who managed to snag it with one hand.

"You always think you can do better," he said. "But my patience level was pretty good. It's easy to lose it after a hole like that, but I stayed with it."

Phil Mickelson, still trying to win his first major, signed for a 72 that left him with a 4-over 146 midway through the tournament.