[Tiger Woods, US Open, Tusla, June, 15, 2001.
          Read photo caption below.]


Woods Trails Leading Trio by Nine at U.S. Open

TULSA, Okla. (Reuters) – Tiger Woods seeking a fifth consecutive major title, was battling to make the cut at the U.S. Open on Friday when he finished the second round with a five-over-par 145, nine strokes off the pace.
Retief Goosen of South Africa birdied the 365-yard 17th to reach five under par but then bogeyed the 18th for an even-par 70 to fall back into a tie for the lead with J.L. Lewis and hard-charging 1996 PGA Championship winner Mark Brooks.
Lewis, who began the round at two under par, shot another two-under 68, while Brooks roared out with five birdies in his first six holes to overcome an opening 72 with a six-under 64 to share the lead at 136 with about half the field still playing the second round.
Also making a charge was world number two Phil Mickelson, who made a hole-in-one at the 175-yard sixth to move to two under par for the tournament after beginning the second round at level par.
Next best in the clubhouse was David Duval after an up-and-down back nine left him at one-under 139 after a second-round 69.
After a marathon day of golf at soggy Southern Hills, defending champion Woods remained optimistic he could turn his fortunes around.
``If I can put together a solid round like Brooksie I can get myself right back into the ball game,'' said the 25-year-old Woods, who first must qualify for the last 36 holes.
``I just haven't hit the ball as crisp as I would like.''
BAD START
Woods returned to Southern Hills early in the morning along with 88 other players and completed a rain-delayed first round of four-over 74, his worst round since his opening 75 at the 2000 Masters.
He started his second round badly, with bogeys at the fourth and fifth holes before offsetting them with back-to-back birdies at 12 and 13.
A bogey at the long par-four 16th and a missed birdie chance at 18 left him with a one-over 71 and left him waiting to find out about his weekend plans, which will not be settled until the second round is completed on Saturday morning.
``I'm trying as hard as I can,'' said the 25-year-old Woods. ''Sometimes things don't go your way. Sometimes I ended up in places where you couldn't make par from.''
Goosen had taken his score to six under after resuming his first round earlier on Friday, but fell back with two late bogeys.
A bogey on the last hole of the second round cost the 32-year-old South African sole possession of the lead.
At the 18th, Goosen's second shot bounced off the green and into the back rough. He chipped on to about 20 feet and two-putted for bogey.
Brooks kept his spot in the trio by saving par at the 18th after hitting into the front left bunker. He blasted out to 15 feet and sank the clutch par-saving putt to remain four-under.
Triple Open champion Hale Irwin, 56, began the second round at three-under after posting a 67 before the storm hit on Thursday.
The Senior Tour performer, however, began his second round with bogeys at the first and second holes, as he did on Thursday, to fall back to one-under.
Angel Cabrera of Argentina, leading money winner on the European Tour, birdied the sixth and seventh holes to stand one-under through 11 holes.
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PHOTO CAPTION

Tiger Woods hits out of the sand on the 10th hole during second round U.S. Open play at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa June 15, 2001. Woods, the defending champion, finished the second round at 5-over 145, after a 71 in this round. (Shaun Best/Reuters)
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