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Paramus - Tiger Woods made the cut for the 13th time in 15 tournaments since his return to golf but admits he will need to rediscover his touch on the greens to move up the leaderboard at the Northern Trust this weekend.
The former world number scraped into the final two rounds after making just two birdies and an equal number of bogeys to post his second straight score of 71 for an even-par tally at Ridgewood Country Club on Friday.
It left Woods right on the level par cut-off mark and trailing 10 shots behind the leading duo of fellow Americans Jamie Lovemark (66) and PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka (65) who head the now reduced 67-player field on 10 under par.
Woods had recorded 29 putts in the first round but despite missing just two of 18 greens on Friday, he needed 35 putts to make par.
"It's just the nature of the game as you've got to make putts and you've got to roll it," Woods said.
"No matter how good your drive is, you've still got to roll them and still got to make putts and I didn't putt very well today. I had a hard time seeing my lines, and consequently, didn't make anything."
"I just never made any birdies. I've had five for two days, that's not going to get it done out here.
"It's just one day. Golf's one of those things where you just have to make putts. I mean, no matter how good you hit your golf ball tee-to-green, still got to hole it.
"Today was one of those days when I didn't make anything. Just got to do some work."
However, with 10 shots now covering the entire field and 36 holes to play Woods clearly is not about to give-up on a hopeful first victory in over five-years.
"I wouldn't say my iron-play was as sharp as it has been but it wasn't that bad," he said. “I just didn't roll the ball very good. I could never get anything kind of rolling. Make two-out-of-three, three out-of-four holes, get on any kind of run. Consequently, I'm ten back."
Woods will tee off early on Saturday alongside England's Ian Poulter.
Leading scores after second round of the USPGA Northern Trust Open at Ridgewood Country Club here Friday (USA unless stated, par-71):
132 - Jamie Lovemark 66-66, Brooks Koepka 67-65
133 - Adam Scott (AUS) 69-64
134 - Dustin Johnson 67-67, Bryson DeChambeau 68-66
135 - Sean O'Hair 66-69, Kevin Tway 66-69, Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 67-68, Ryan Palmer 68-67, Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
136 - Peter Uihlein 68-68, Adam Hadwin (CAN) 71-65, Phil Mickelson 68-68, Patrick Cantlay 69-67, Tony Finau 69-67, Justin Thomas 69-67
137 - Chez Reavie 71-66, Jason Day (AUS) 71-65, Harold Varner 69, 68, Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 71-66, Cameron Smith (AUS) 69-68, Webb Simpson 71-66, Nick Watney 69-68
Selected
142 - Tiger Woods 71-71
