Tiger Woods trails pace-setting American Woody Austin by 10 shots at the halfway stage of the $2.7 million Buick Open at Grand Blanc, Michigan.
The world number one yesterday posted four birdies in a lackluster 70, for a four-under-par halfway total of 140, while Austin, a distant 108th on the US rankings, posted a second round of 67.
Austin is two strokes clear of Rocco Mediate, who had eight birdies in a flawless 64.
Hal Sutton (67) is two shots further back in third place, one ahead of Japan's Joe Ozaki (69), Paul Azinger (70) and Dudley Hart (65), who are all on 135.
Austin's only way into the final major of the season (at Valhallais) is to win tomorrow, just as he did in his rookie year of 1995, but he realises the enormity of that task even though he doesn't have Tiger's breath on his neck.
"I'll probably be shaking in my shoes tomorrow (Saturday), because it's an awful long time since I've been in the final group," said the 36-year-old from Florida.
"If you are nervous and playing well you can get through it. If you are nervous and playing like a dog, you play like a dog."
Austin had 29 putts compared with 22 on the first day, but played solidly enough, dropping just one stroke at the 14th where he missedthe fairway before finding a bunker.
Davis Love, the 1997 PGA Champion, finished at one-underpar 143 to miss the halfway cut by one shot.
He was joined on the sidelines by three European Ryder Cup rivals - Jean Van de Velde (144), Miguel Angel Jimenez (150) and double Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, who staggered to an 81 (153) after being hit by a virus infection earlier in the week.
