PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Safe to say there won't be a 15-shot victory at Pebble Beach this time for Tiger Woods.
Woods finally made some birdies at the 110th U.S. Open on Friday, but not enough to offset his four second-round bogeys.
His 72 left him at 4-over par for the tournament and seven shots adrift of Irishman Graeme McDowell's lead.
Playing in the morning, when the treacherous poa annua greens were smoother than the moonscape he'd complained about having to putt on the afternoon before, Woods made a few more putts but, unfortunately for him, also made too many loose swings.
He went immediately to the range after finishing and worked on his swing. Not long ago, Woods' presence on the driving range would've caused pandemonium as people craned for a look, but he went through his paces Friday just like any other touring professional.
Rafa Echenique, a diminutive Argentine, was practicing alongside Woods and appeared not to even notice the famous presence in the last stall on the left.
It was noticeable as Woods went through his bag on the range that his stock shot is now a little draw, much more the shot shape of his youth.
Maybe more than that, he needs to rediscover the disposition of his youth.
Woods is still clearly a man with much on his mind. Friday was his daughter's third birthday and, of course, Sunday is Father's Day. Who knows what kind of celebrations these will bring given his estrangement from his wife, Elin.
But on the golf course at least there's been enough from Woods through two rounds to suggest he may be turning his ship around.
Ernie Els, who turned back the clock with a 3-under par round of 68 to vault into second place, played alongside him and thought his old adversary wasn't ready to have his obituary written just yet.
"A guy that's won 14 majors, he's got a lot of game," Els said, "I think he's very close. I haven't played with him in about a year. I think his ball-striking was pretty good the last two days. His short game is pretty sharp, he just didn't make enough putts. He's skimming the hole."
I asked Tom Watson, who's been publicly critical of Woods for his on-course temper tantrums, whether he agreed with the Greek chorus, which includes Johnny Miller, that says we've seen the best of the Tiger.
Many of the greats of the game stopped winning majors regularly after their mid-30s. Watson himself never won another major after the age of 34. Woods is 34.
"Tiger's an exception to all those rules," said the 60-year-old, who is playing in what will probably be his last Open. "He's the only guy out here who can win playing badly."
Woods himself seemed markedly more optimistic than he'd been the evening before.
"I feel good," he said. "I'm right there. As we know, the U.S. Open is only going to get tougher as the weekend goes. The golf course will dry out.
"I just need to keep progressing. It's a long process. This is a tournament where you don't win it with one round, but you can lose it with one round. I'm going to have to make a few more birdies over the weekend in order to win."
It's significant that Woods -- who has never come from behind to win a major -- is again talking about winning.
His body language at his past three tournaments, where he missed the cut, had to withdraw because of a neck injury and was an also-ran, hasn't exactly screamed, Winner!
That much could also be said of Els, only his slump's lasted for years.
"It's been such a long time since I won one of these things," said the South African, who won two U.S. opens, in 1994 and 1997.
After a woeful putting display in the first round, Els worked until dark Thursday night and fixed his stroke, which was evident Friday.
"Yesterday I felt uncomfortable on the greens," he said. "You don't want to feel like that in a US Open."
Already a two-time winner this year on the PGA Tour, can he win a third U.S. Open?
"When I look back now it's amazing when I think I was 24 when I won this event at Oakmont. I must have been out of my head to think I could have won at 24," he said.
"And then the expectations are there, obviously. And I probably fell victim to that a little bit because I had numerous chances of winning majors, which I didn't. And now not too many people give you too many chances winning a major after 40. But I feel good. I feel my game's there. I'd like to think I've got quite a few more left."
Watson seems to think the young Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa's got a few majors left in him, too.
"He reminded me of me when I was 18," Watson said. "Made everything. He just rammed it in the middle of the back of the hole."
Ishikawa, who was at 1-under par after two rounds, is tied for second with Els, and his youthful exuberance doesn't seem like it will settle for second place.
"I hope I can play more aggressive tomorrow and the next two days," he said.
Els called Ishikawa, a seven time winner in Japan, "extraordinary."
"It's amazing that he's only 18. He's already shot 58 this year. Just think about it, shooting 58 in the Tour over there in Japan at 18, it's phenomenal," Els said. "I think what Tiger has done, a lot of what these kids want to do what he's done so they come out early and they're aggressive and they're confident."
Ironic, given that Woods could probably use a shot of that aggression and confidence himself.
