Woods stays ahead of field at PGA by 4 strokes

CHASKA, Minn. — Fans took off at a run, and there was finally a buzz at the PGA Championship on Saturday morning. Was someone making a move? Had Phil Mickelson found his putting stroke?

No, just Tiger Woods showing up at Hazeltine National.

The world’s No. 1 birdied his second hole Saturday to go to 8 under and maintain a four-stroke lead on the rest of the field. U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover is alone at 4 under after a birdie on No. 2, and four players are at 3 under.

Woods insists there’s plenty of golf still to be played, but the stats say otherwise. The four-stroke lead after two rounds was his largest at a major since the 2005 British Open at St. Andrews, when he led by five. He hasn’t lost a 36-hole lead on the PGA Tour in five years, and that was when he was revamping his swing.

And the doozy of them all: He’s 8-0 as the 36-hole leader at a major.

“If Tiger plays the golf he’s capable of on the weekend,” Padraig Harrington said, “he’ll be a winner.”

Conditions were tough again Saturday, with the wind gusting and the humidity up. More ominous, dark clouds moved in at midmorning and parked themselves above Hazeltine National. The forecast calls for a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon, and storms are likely in the evening.

Still, there were birdies to be had.

Henrik Stenson was at 3 under for the tournament after four birdies on the front nine, and Steve Flesch shot a 3-under 69. Flesch actually looked as if he might make a charge with four early birdies, but he had two bogeys and a double bogey on the backside.

Mickelson, who has played sparingly this summer as his wife and mother battle breast cancer and made the cut on the number, had another rough day Saturday with a 4-over 76 that left him at 8 over. He bogeyed his first three par-5s — including the No. 3 for a second straight day — opened the back nine with three straight bogeys and made just one birdie.

“It’s frustrating for me to not be in contention on the weekend of a major,” Mickelson said. “But that’s motivation for me to work hard.”