Battling Woods survives Sawgrass with late birdie

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida, May 12 (Reuters) Tiger Woods struggled on the greens for a second day in a row and flirted with missing the cut before mounting a solid finish at the Players Championship.

The world number one, a stroke off the projected cut line with three holes to play, birdied the par-five 16th on his way to a one-over 73 in the second round.

That left Woods on four-over 148, nine strokes behind leader Phil Mickelson and among 79 players who eventually qualified for the weekend on five over or better at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass.

''I knew the cut was probably going to be at four (over) and I just needed to get there somehow,'' the 31-year-old American told reporters after a battling round in swirling breezes that included three bogeys and two birdies.

''I didn't really hit it all that good, and certainly didn't make any putts again.

''But you just have to try to drag yourself back into the tournament. Hopefully tomorrow I can shoot something which can get me into the red (under par) at least. Then you never know.'' Woods, who failed to register a birdie in his opening 75, picked up his first shot of the week at the par-five second.

He then bogeyed the fifth, missing a seven-footer, and the eighth to reach the turn in one-over 37.

TOUGH FINISH Although he also dropped a stroke at the par-four 12th, where he missed the fairway to the right, he two-putted for birdie on 16 before parring the tough finishing holes to stay in the tournament.

''These greens are just so slow,'' said Woods, who has won nine times on the PGA Tour in his last 12 starts. ''It's hard to make yourself hit the putts that hard, especially when you putt by memory like I do here.

''You remember some of the putts being so fast and running out, but they just don't do that any more,'' he added, referring to a par-72 Sawgrass layout that has been refurbished and lengthened since last year's tournament.

''I need to play better than I am right now. I just cannot afford to make the mistakes I have made.

''I had three three-putts yesterday and, after 36 holes, I have made only two birdies. That's not very good.'' Woods has not missed the cut in a PGA Tour event since last year's US Open at Winged Foot where he ended a nine-week break from the game following the death of his father Earl.

He ended a record run of 142 consecutive tournaments in the money at last year's Byron Nelson Championship.

Woods has missed only four cuts in his PGA Tour career.

Reuters PDS VP0720