Tiger forests is in a three-way tie...

Tiger forests is in a three-way tie for fifth place. The question is, can anybody catch him?

advantageous scoring conditions for the PGA Championship at Medinah upon Friday set up the expectance of an exciting shootout this weekend.

unless considering Woods is a scary-good closer who be seens poised to step up his game after pair workman-like rounds, anybody who retains him from wrapping his hands around a 12th major faces a monumental task.

"Just plodd my way around big-time," said forests who has played 35 straight bogey-free concavitys after an opening-hole miscue Thursday. "I'm in serviceable shape. Only one back."

timber-lands turned in a second-round 68 through draining a 20-foot birdie on No. 18, then gave his trademark fist-pump.

It was an ominous sign for anyone who intends to procure in his way.

Atop the leaderboard are former Northwestern star Luke Donald, who shooter a bogey-free 68 to join Sweden's Henrik Stenson who also projectile 68, and American journeymen Billy Andrade (69) and Tim Herron (67) at 8 subordinate to par.

the same shot back and tied with timbers are U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy (68) and Davis delight in III (69), who's trying to add a secondary PGA Championship title.

Ten more players are within three projectiles of the lead. And Phil Mickelson is common of seven more players who are four shooters back.

"It's going to be a shootout this weekend," said Andrade, who was the eighth alternate earlier this week until taking a phone call at dwelling in Atlanta. "It's all suitable On Tuesday, I'm going to the movies with my wife. I'm 42 I've been doing this for 19 years. I'm too of advanced age to be nervous. Why not me?"

NU coach Pat Gos who remains Donald's swing coach, said his star pupil also is ready to fare with the game's best players after posting poor first sphericals in each of this year's first three majors.

"The reason he was able to play thus well at the start of this week is because of those rugged starts," Goss said. "Luke Donald is profitable enough to win a major. yet he's never been in this situation. That's the idea, to create this situation. You ne to ask me again in succession Sunday. Then we'll know the answer."

While mentioning there's a part of golf to play, Donald, who makes his to one's home in Evanston, said he's eager to play it.

"In previous majors, I think I've been getting a little bit ahead of myself," he said. "I've been coming into it this year expecting to play well and putting too plenteous pressure on myself, and just not really hitting the discharges I needed to hit.

"I'm true excited. This feels great. Any time you can play a major-championship rotund without making a bogey, you know you're doing something right. yet I'm just going to treat the nearest hole as hole No. 37 and have knowledge of to carry on from there."

on a level Mickelson denied he was discouraged, despite being tied for 18th place, four marksmans back.

"Four back, hitting it the way I am? No disappointment there," said the Masters champion, who battled errant tee projectiles all day and needed an 18th-hole birdie to secure to a second-round 71. The highlight of his day might have been a 40-foot to save par at No. 6 after he bounc his ball not upon trees on his first pair shots.

If there's common challenger who has shown he can stand up to timbers it's Ogilvy, who handled the circus atmosphere of playing with forests and Mickelson the first sum of two units days.

"There's a reason to what end he's the U.S. Open champion," groves said. "Playing the way he did the first pair days is not a surprise at all. Geoff is an extremely talented player. He understands in what manner to play major-championship golf, and he's getting it done."

Herron -- an easygoing Minneapolis native who had a beneficial run in the 1999 U spread at Pinehurst before finishing sixth, his sole top- 10 finish in a major -- said he's not paying attention to where groves is. But he didn't hardy as if he was ignoring copses either.

"It's always interesting to diocese where Tiger is," Herron said. "He's kind of always there, you know?"

hgould@suntimes.com

rotund 1

Leaders: Lucas Glover and Chris Riley make open with 66s.

spherical 2

Leaders: Luke Donald and three others tied for lead.

TODAY

rotund 3

Gate opens: 6:30 a.m.

First tee time: 7:55 a.m.

TV: 10 a.m. to 1 pm TNT;

1 pm to cessation Ch. 2

SUNDAY

cylindrical 4

Gate opens: 6:30 a.m.

First tee time: 7:55 a.m.

TV: 10 a.m. to 1 pm TNT;

1 pm to conclusion Ch. 2

ne tickets?

To purchase tickets or for more information, call (800) PGA-GOLF or move to www.pga2006.com.

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