STRONG FINISH: After lining up his putt on the 18th hole (inset). Tiger Woods reacts watching his birdie drop in to end his second-round score of 71 yesterday at Muirfield. (Getty Images (2))
GULLANE, Scotland — Tiger Woods yet again is in weekend position to win his 15th career major championship.
The question — which in his prime he always answered with a bold affirmative — is this: Can he close the deal on this one?
Can Woods turn his 2-under score, which has him one shot out of the lead held by Miguel Angel Jimenez entering today’s British Open third round at Muirfield, into his 15th major championship victory?
Woods is tied with Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson for second.
It has been a long five years since Woods, who has been stuck on 14 majors (four short of Jack Nicklaus’ record), has captured one. He has come close to bagging his 15th a number of times since his 2008 U.S. Open win at Torrey Pines, but has always fallen short.
“I’ve put myself there; I just haven’t won,’’ Woods said after shooting an even-par 71 in his second round yesterday. “I’ve had chances on the back nine on many of those Sundays. It’s just one of those things where I haven’t gotten it.
“I’m not going to win every major I play in, but certainly I can try and put myself there. If I give myself enough opportunities, I’ll get my share … and I think I have so far in my career.’’
Graeme McDowell, Woods’ playing partner the last two days, called what he has seen from Woods “pretty impressive.’’
“He certainly looks like he’s very close to being back [to winning majors],’’ McDowell said. “There will be no surprise to me if he’s picking up the Claret Jug on Sunday night.’’
Though the course layout and wind conditions are different, Woods is going about his business in a similar way to when he won his last British Open, in 2006 at Hoylake, on a course so dry and fast he did not need to use drivers off tees.
“He’s playing the golf course very conservatively, using his iron play to devastating effect,’’ McDowell said. “I said to him on the 18th green, ‘That was a clinic the last two days. That was very impressive.’ Combo that with some great putting and he’s going to be dangerous.’’
Woods’ round yesterday had several chances to really take off. He got it to 3-under with a birdie on the third hole, but gave it back quickly when he lipped out a four-foot par putt on No. 4.
He got it back to 3-under for the tournament when he birdied the par-5 fifth hole, but gave that one back when he completely missed the hole on a four-foot par putt on No. 8.
A bogey on No. 11 dropped Woods to 1-under, where he stayed until closing his day out in style with a birdie on No. 18.
“It was difficult out there,’’ Woods said.
While Woods missed those short par putts on Nos. 4 and 8, he also made some key par saves on Nos. 10, 14 and 15 to keep his round under control.
“I’ve lost track of how many 8-, 10-, 15-footers he’s made for par over the last two days,’’ McDowell said. “He hung in with his putter the last two days, there’s no doubt about it. He’s putting them exceptionally well.’’
Despite the roller-coaster nature of his day, Woods, who has won four times this year, sounded satisfied with his position when he walked off the course.
“I’m in a good spot,’’ he said.
Woods said his weekend strategy is to “just continue plodding along, continue just being patient, putting the ball in the right spots.’’
“He will not be far away this weekend the way he’s playing,’’ McDowell predicted.
Woods is hitting so few drivers off the tee McDowell joked, “I had to double check with Joe [LaCava, Woods’ caddie] that the driver head cover actually had a driver underneath it, because it actually hasn’t seen the light of day, not even close.’’
“I’ve been right there,’’ Woods said. “I give myself chances.’’
Maybe it’s finally his time again — his time to resume his chase of Nicklaus’ elusive record that five years ago so many believed he would shatter easily.