Woods above par again, but able to make the cut

Tiger Woods claimed more history at August National on Friday, making the cut for a record 24th consecutive time.

Of course, his sights were fixated on a far greater goal — a recordtying sixth green jacket.

Woods broke the cut record he shared with three-time champion Gary Player, who advanced to the weekend 23 straight times beginning in 1959, and 1992 winner Fred Couples, whose own streak lasted until 2007.

“It means I have a chance going into the weekend,” said Woods, whose evenpar 72 left him 1 over through 36 holes. “I'm here. I have a chance to win the golf tournament. I don't know if they're all going to finish today, but I'm done. I got my two rounds in. Just need some food and some caffeine, and I'll be good to go.”

It was a grueling day for the five-time Masters champion, even more so considering the 48-yearold has endured numerous injuries, countless surgeries and a devastating car wreck that nearly cost him his right leg.

Woods was back at the course before sunrise to finish up the final five holes of his opening round, which was cut short by darkness after storms Thursday morning delayed the start of the tournament by 21/2 hours.

He made a couple of bogeys to complete a 73, then had less than an hour to rest up for another 18 holes.

With the wind howling again at Augusta National, Woods had to do all sorts of scrambling to compensate for one wayward approach shot after another. But he kept pulling off nifty chips and clutch putts to keep his score safely above the cut line, which was projected at 4 over when he finished his round.

“I was forced to get upand-down a few times today, and I was able to do that,” Woods said. “A lot of those chip shots I was able to get up-and-down because I left it in the perfect spot, and that's understanding how to play this golf course . ... Most of the up-and-downs I was in a perfect spot.”

Woods went through a stretch of six straight holes before the turn where he made nothing but birdies or bogeys, but he settled things a bit on the back nine with a single bogey at the 14th — where his approach from 150 yards sailed into the gallery behind the green — and a two-putt birdie at the par-5 15th.