Woods Nine Back After 69 at Players

Tiger Woods needed only three holes to take the suspense out of making his 120th consecutive cut Friday at the Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

He’ll need all 36 holes the final two days to catch up to Kevin Sutherland and Jerry Kelly.

Sutherland holed an 80-foot bunker shot on his way to a three-under-par 69 for his first 36-hole lead in eight years. Kelly joined him with a 66, a mixture of short birdie putts and a scrappy short game on the TPC at Sawgrass.

They were at nine-under 135, facing a tough test on the weekend and a leaderboard littered with big names.

Ernie Els (69) and Adam Scott (72) were two shots back. Vijay Singh (68) and Padraig Harrington (70) were right behind them.

Phil Mickelson (69) made par despite driving into the water on No. 18 and was only four shots off the lead.

The best news for Woods is that his 69 was good enough for a tee time today.

Starting the day at three over and in 108th place, Woods played with purpose.

He hit a five-iron from 208 yards that dropped and stopped 10 feet from the hole for eagle on the par-five 11th -- his second hole -- then followed that with a wedge into 10 feet for birdie.

Woods moved up 64 spots into a tie for 44th, but he wasn’t entirely pleased. He didn’t gain another shot on the lead after his par-eagle-birdie start and wound up at even-par 144.

“I was trying to shoot 66,” Woods said. “I thought three under would put me right where I needed to be. Now I need to post a good, solid number to put myself to where I have a chance Sunday afternoon.”

The cut was at 146, so Woods had two shots to spare.

The only other time Sutherland has been in the lead after 36 holes was in the 1996 Greater Hartford Open, and he finished in a tie for ninth.

“I wasn’t coming here expecting to have the lead after two rounds, but I did come here expecting to play well,” Sutherland said.

Maybe he should have. Sutherland’s only victory on the PGA Tour came two years ago at the Match Play Championship, which earned him $1 million.

Players were told Tuesday night that the purse was $8 million for the Players Championship, with $1.44 million going to the winner.

“I didn’t realize it was for this week,” Sutherland said.

Money isn’t as big a motivator as beating the best field in golf on a demanding golf course.

Woods was motivated only by playing good golf, which has not come as easily of late. He ended his streak of four consecutive rounds over par but played the final 15 holes in even par when he had a chance to gain ground.

“You just have to grind it out,” Woods said.

Pressed about whether he was relieved to have made the cut, Woods sighed and said, “The thing is, guys, it doesn’t change me, my effort level. I play the same whether I’m shooting 82 or 62. It’s not like I’m trying any harder.”

Els missed the cut last week at Bay Hill, ending his streak at 30. Masters champion Mike Weir missed the cut Friday at Sawgrass, ending his cut streak at 19.

The second-longest active streak, 16, now belongs to Kelly, who was amused when asked whether he was surprised Woods made the cut.

“I almost expected to see him on the scoreboard, to tell you the truth,” Kelly said.

Woods has two more days to accomplish that.

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Seve Ballesteros pulled out of next month’s Masters because of back pain. It will be the first time he has skipped the major since he was first invited to play in 1978. He won in 1980 and 1983.

Ballesteros, 46, had been practicing in Spain and was pleased with his progress. But the pain intensified while he practiced in Miami this week and he bought an orthopedic chair for the flight home to Spain.